Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
hydropower energy technologies and, in 2003, accelerated the R and D
funding for developing hydrogen technologies.
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DOE's fossil energy R and D program has primarily focused on reducing
emissions of harmful pollutants from coal-fired power plants, particularly
sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide in the 1980s and early 1990s. More
recently, DOE has concentrated on developing (1) coal gasification
technologies to improve efficiency and reduce mercury and carbon
dioxide emissions and (2) sequestration technologies for the long-term
storage of carbon dioxide.
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DOE's nuclear energy R and D program has focused primarily on
improving nuclear power plant safety—in response to the March 1979
accident at the Three Mile Island plant near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania—
and efficiency.[3] More recently, the program has focused on developing
technologies and designs for new generations of nuclear reactors —so-
called Generation III and Generation IV. Beginning in October 2007,
electric power companies are expected to apply for the first licenses to
construct nuclear reactors since 1979. These reactors will use Generation
III technologies. DOE's nuclear R and D program is developing
Generation IV technologies for deployment after 2020.
The market has been slow to embrace advanced energy technologies because
they typically are not economically competitive with conventional energy sources
such as oil, natural gas, and coal. In part this is because the prices U.S. consumers
pay for conventional energy do not reflect their true costs, including the costs of
certain adverse environmental impacts; economists refer to these hidden costs as
negative externalities. For example, we continue to rely on electricity generated
from coal-fired plants because coal is plentiful and inexpensive in the United
States. However, carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants—a key
concern for global warming—are not currently regulated, and thus potential
environmental costs associated with global warming are not reflected in the
electricity prices that consumers pay. In contrast, renewable energy sources, such
as wind farms, and nuclear reactors do not produce carbon dioxide emissions in
generating electricity.
The American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 stimulated the deployment of
ethanol by providing a 51-cent tax credit through December 31, 2010, for every
gallon of ethanol blended into gasoline.[4] The act also provides tax credits that
expire on December 31, 2006, for every gallon of biodiesel and agri-biodiesel.
Similarly, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 promoted a diversified U.S. energy
portfolio by reauthorizing DOE's R and D funding and providing tax incentives
