To insure a favorable outcome for the public and the environment, all of us who are concerned about these issues must work together to assure that laws, policies, and regulations enacted today serve us well in the future. Vicki Mastaitis is chair of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council and Director of the National Environmental Project. Jane Weissman is the national director of PV for Utilities. Renewables U.S. states are leading the way in providing incentives for alternative energy, according to a new report released by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council. The National Summary Report on State Financial Incentives for Renewable Energy details the many ways in which states are seeking to reduce emissions and increase the use of renewable energy technologies.
Incentives are an important tool for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The report establishes that states' interest in renewable energy increased after the 20th anniversary of Earth Day in 1990 and the Gulf War in 1991. States have adopted a range of incentives for the use of renewables, from loan programs to grants and corporate, personal income, property, and sales tax credits. Alabama allows a tax deduction for residents who convert from gas or electricity to wood as their primary energy source. And in Indiana, all solar energy equipment is exempt from property taxes, whether the equipment is used to heat a house or power a mobile home. Federal financial incentive programs such as credits for electric vehicles are also described in the report.