According to a new report called 2009 Nielsen Energy Audit, compiled by market research specialist The Nielsen Company, saving money is one of the top motivating factors driving the adoption of green energy options. 80% of the 32,000 respondents polled cited cutting costs as their main motivation for conserving energy.

“The current momentum surrounding green initiatives and reduced energy consumption presents utilities and home improvement companies with a golden opportunity,” says Jonathan Drost, Account Executive, Energy for The Nielsen Company. “When going green is cost effective, such as opting for Energy Star appliances or government incentive programs, customers migrate in that direction. The biggest hurdle for energy companies is educating the consumer on things like Smart Grids, Energy Efficiency programs and Renewable Green Energy.”

Solar appears as the number one preference as a carbon neutral source of energy, with 37% of the total. “I believe solar came out on top as a preference because it is a technology that consumers can identify with,” Drost offers. “Not only can a consumer place solar panels on their home or purchase solar water heaters, but also they see retailers installing solar panels on their roof and hybrid cars with solar roof options. It’s been a media hot topic as well.” 32% of the respondents expressed no preference, followed by 16% who cited wind as their top preference. Geothermal accounted for 5%; hydroelectric, 4% of preferences.

California, Texas, New York and Oregon boast the largest percentage of consumers who participate in a green energy program. In terms of regions, the west (consisting of California, Oregon and Washington), with a 24% rate of participation, is the greenest area in the country. This is explained by the fact that California has had green pricing programs in place for many years.

Age and income also play a role in green energy participation, which is better among the higher educated and those making over $50,000. However, a higher proportion of those making between $50,000-$100,000 (34%) participated compared to those making more than $100,000 (30%). Participants also skewed younger, with 40 percent falling between the ages of 18-34 and 39% in the 35-54 year age range. Those above 55 make up 20 percent of those taking part in green programs.

Ontario is already the Canadian leader in wind energy, producing enough electricity to power more than 300,000 homes. But the region wants to become a North American leader in renewable energy and has introduced a Green Energy Act to create 50,000 direct and indirect jobs in the new green economy.

The components of the Green Act include a feed-In-Tariff program, which allows individuals and companies to sell renewable energy into the grid at set rates; domestic content requirements, which would ensure at least 25 per cent of wind projects and 50 per cent of solar projects be produced in Ontario; a streamlined approvals process and a service guarantee to bring developers greater certainty, regulations for setting wind turbines certain distances from houses, roadways and property lines; and a new Ontario Renewable Energy Facilitation Office, described as a one-stop shop to help renewable energy projects get off the ground faster.

The province hopes that the new regulations will give provide more clarity to companies, boost investor confidence and help Ontario achieve its goal of eliminating coal-fired power by 2014. Investments in new renewable energy projects already in place or under construction in the region since 2003 exceed $4 billion.

A new research to be released on Friday by the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) reveals that “the largest U.S subsidies to fossil fuels are attributed to tax breaks that aid foreign oil production”. The report was produced in partnership with the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. The study reviewed fossil fuel and energy subsidies for Fiscal Years 2002-2008 and shows that the lion’s share of energy subsidies supported energy sources that emit high levels of greenhouse gases.

During that period, the federal government provided substantially larger subsidies to fossil fuels than to renewables. Fossil fuels benefited from approximately $72 billion over the seven-year period, while subsidies for renewable fuels totaled only $29 billion. More than half the subsidies for renewables – $16.8 billion – are attributable to corn-based ethanol, the climate effects of which are hotly disputed. Of the fossil fuel subsidies, $70.2 billion went to traditional sources – such as coal and oil – and $2.3 billion went to carbon capture and storage, which is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants.

Why is this happening? The U.S. energy market is shaped by a number of national and state policies that encourage the use of traditional energy sources. These policies range from royalty relief to the provision of tax incentives, direct payments, and other forms of support to the non-renewable energy industry. “The combination of subsidies – or ‘perverse incentives’ – to develop fossil fuel energy sources, and a lack of sufficient incentives to develop renewable energy and promote energy efficiency, distorts energy policy in ways that have helped cause, and continue to exacerbate, our climate change problem,” says ELI Senior Attorney John Pendergrass. “With climate change and energy legislation pending on Capitol Hill, our research suggests that more attention needs to be given to the existing perverse incentives for ‘dirty’ fuels in the U.S. Tax Code.”

The subsidies examined fall roughly into two categories: foregone revenues (changes to the tax code to reduce the tax liabilities of particular entities), mostly in the form of tax breaks, and including reported lost government take from offshore leasing of oil and gas fields; and direct spending, in the form of expenditures on research and development and other programs. Subsidies attributed to the Foreign Tax Credit totaled $15.3 billion, with those for the next-largest fossil fuel subsidy, the Credit for Production of Nonconventional Fuels, totaling $14.1 billion. The Foreign Tax Credit applies to the overseas production of oil through an obscure provision of the U.S. Tax Code, which allows energy companies to claim a tax credit for payments that would normally receive less-beneficial treatment under the tax code.

Fossie fuels and renewable energy were defined according to conventional definitions. Fossil fuels include petroleum and its byproducts, natural gas, and coal products, while renewable fuels include wind, solar, biofuels and biomass, hydropower, and geothermal energy production.

Early last month we wrote about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act program that provides cash assistance to energy production companies in place of earned tax credits. Yesterday the Energy and Treasury Deparments announced $502 million in the first round of awards from the Act. According to an offical press statement, the new funding “creates additional upfront capital, enabling companies to create jobs and begin construction that may have been stalled until now”.

“These grants will help America’s businesses launch clean energy projects, putting Americans back to work in good construction and manufacturing jobs. The initiative will help double our renewable energy capacity over the next few years and make sure America leads the world in creating the clean energy economy of the future”, said Energy Secretary Steven Chu.

Created under Section 1603 of the Recovery Act, the program is expected to provide more than $3 billion in financial support for clean energy projects by providing direct payments in lieu of tax credits. These payments will support an estimated 5,000 bio-mass, solar, wind, and other types of renewable energy production facilities in all regions of the country over the life of the program.

This first round of funding will give more than 2,000 Americans access to jobs in the renewable energy industry, the government said.

The successful series of For Dummies books has tapped the growing interest in renewable energy with a recently released volume on the theme, penned by design engineer Rik DeGunther. Energy Refuge got hold of a copy.

Mr. DeGunther adopts a casual way of writing that is very easy-going, almost conversational and makes it clear from the off what the book is about: an introduction to the main concepts related to alternative energy, background information, an overview of the fossil fuel problem, differences between various types of energy sources and the range of alternative energy schemes currently being pursed, such as solar, wind, hydrogen fuel cell and biofuels. The book will not make the reader an expert on alternative energy, but underneath its toy-ish façade, it provides plenty of useful information to the novice.

In a way, the series reminds us of school books with lots of digested information; perhaps therein lies its appeal. The sparse, minimalist design, smart use of graphics and clear methodology contribute to a pleasant reading experience, which doesn’t have to be linear or continuous: you can choose which sections of the book interest you most, dipping in and out at your leisure. An index also makes it easier to find a favorite topic.

In short, it’s a very handy guide into the world of alternative energy, a resourceful starting point for those who want to learn more about it.

Alternative Energy For Dummies is out now on Wiley.

The U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of the Treasury yesterday announced they are now accepting applications for a program that will make direct payments in lieu of tax credits to companies that create and place in service renewable energy facilities. The two Departments estimate distributing at least $3 billion in financial support to approximately 5,000 bio-mass, solar, wind, and other types of renewable energy production facilities. The funding for this effort is made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“This program will play a major role in encouraging private sector capital to invest in clean energy development, creating new jobs that can’t be outsourced. It is an investment that will continue to help our economy grow and ensure advancement in clean and renewable energy development”, said Secretary Chu.

“As we move quickly to get our economy back on track and to repair the financial system, we must make investments that lay the foundation for a stronger economic future,” said Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. “Too many renewable energy projects have stalled due to a lack of financing. The Recovery Act program will lead to investment in our long-term energy needs, move us towards energy independence, increase jobs at energy-specific businesses, and protect our environment.”

The Recovery Act authorized Treasury to make direct payments to companies that create and place in service renewable energy facilities beginning January 1, 2009. Previously, these companies could file for a tax credit to cover a portion of the renewable energy project’s cost; under the new program, applicants would agree to forgo future tax credits in favor of an immediate reimbursement of a portion of the property expense. The Energy Department will assist Treasury in implementing this program by reviewing the technical merits of the applications.

Chicago is known as the Wind City and now Illinois, the state where the city is in, may well be on the way to get the Windy State moniker. That is because a new economic impact study of wind energy development conducted by Illinois State University’s Center for Renewable Energy has concluded that the wind energy industry in Illinois is projected to generate $1.9 billion in economic benefits for the state over the next 25 years.

The study, which was funded by a grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, examined the direct and indirect economic benefits, including jobs, tax revenues and payments to landowners, from the 17 major wind development projects online around the state. Those wind farms currently generate a total of 1,118 megawatts (MW) of electricity.

The state appears at number 10 in the United States in existing wind-powered generating capacity and ranks 16th in the nation in potential capacity. Wind power capacity grew rapidly in the state, from 50 MW in 2003 to over 1,000 MW in 2009, propelled by the passage of the Illinois Power Agency Act in 2007 which included a renewable portfolio standard of 25% by 2025, of which 75% of the renewable energy resources must come from wind.

“Wind energy in Illinois not only provides clean, renewable energy for the state’s energy needs but also provides tremendous economic development benefits,” said David Loomis, director of the Center for Renewable Energy and an associate professor of economics at Illinois State.

The study found that wind energy projects created 6,019 full-time equivalent jobs during construction periods with a total payroll of over $306 million. They also support 292 permanent jobs in rural Illinois areas with a total annual payroll of over $15 million. Wind energy projects benefit local economies by generating $11.4 million in annual property taxes and $4.36 million per year in extra income for Illinois landowners who lease their land to wind farm developers. In total, wind energy will generate an economic benefit of $1.9 billion over the life of the projects.

The Washington Post carries an in-depth article about Asian countries’ drive to become leaders in the clean energy technology.

Apparently South Korea plans dedicated 2 percent of its annual GDP in “environment-related and renewable energy industries over the next five years, for a total of $84.5 billion”. That’s quite a lot of dough. Elsewhere, “India aims to install 20 gigawatts of solar power by 2020” while “China’s new stimulus plan raises the nation’s 2020 target for solar power from 1.8 gigawatts to 20 gigawatts.” China also has big plans for wind power and hopes to increase its long-term goal to 150 gigawatts (currently it is 100).

The Americans interviewed in the report sound slightly worried that the U.S. could have trouble catching up with the Asian competition, although the country has considerable R&D power. In any case, it’s exciting to see that renewable energy is big business and it will be a yardstick of development and economic leadership in the 21st century.

As part of an partnership aimed at increasing economic development in urban and rural areas the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Department of Energy yesterday announced an estimated $3 billion for the development of renewable energy projects around the country and made available the guidance businesses will need to submit a successful application. Funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act), the program will provide direct payments in lieu of tax credits in support of an estimated 5,000 bio-mass, solar, wind, and other types of renewable energy production facilities.

“The renewable energy program provides another important avenue for the Recovery Act to contribute to economic development in communities around the country,” said Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner. “It will provide additional stimulus to economies in urban and rural America by helping to develop domestic sources of clean energy. This partnership between Treasury and Energy will enable both large companies and small businesses to invest in our long-term energy needs, protect our environment and revitalize our nation’s economy.”

The Recovery Act authorized Treasury to make direct payments to companies that create and place in service renewable energy facilities beginning January 1, 2009. Previously, these companies could file for a tax credit to cover a portion of the renewable energy project’s cost; under the new program, applicants would agree to forgo tax credits down the line in favor of an immediate reimbursement of a portion of the property expense. This direct payment program allows for an immediate stimulus in local economies.

“These payments will help spur major private sector investments in clean energy and create new jobs for America’s workers. It is part of our broad effort to double our renewable energy capacity in the next few years and make sure that America leads the world in creating the new clean energy economy of the future”, said Energy Secretary Steven Chu.

The terms and conditions, guidance and a sample application here.

July 13 is when renewable energy news will hit the airwaves. Pure Energy will broadcast from the Miami studios of 880 The Biz (WZAB) between 6 and 7pm EDT on Mondays. It will be hosted by energy expert Sean O’Hanlon, who is also the Executive Director of the American Biofuels Council (ABC). Guests for the premier show include engineer and author Dr. Robert Zubrin as well as peak oil expert and author of nine books including “Peak Everything,” Richard Heinberg.

Pure Energy is described as “a lively repartee between O’Hanlon and his guests discussing the current business challenges and opportunities in the energy arena as the world moves into the ‘Age of Renewable Energy’”. The producers say they will be covering a wide range of topics, from energy policy and petroleum concerns to wind, solar, hydro-electric, geothermal, and biofuels technologies.

“No single issue has as much of a far reaching impact as energy, and today we are facing several key issues that are vital to our future. Among them are energy security, crumbling infrastructure, economic development, and environmental concerns,” said O’Hanlon in a press statement. “This show will focus on the opportunities that lie within the challenges. The discussion of how we effectively address these issues simultaneously is long overdue. It’s time to think outside the barrel.”

Listeners can also tune in live at http://www.PureEnergyShow.com.