GAO report addresses federal renewable energy initiatives

Biodiesel Magazine
By Erin Voegele March 20, 2012

The U.S. Government Accountability Office has published a report outlining hundreds of initiatives that federal agencies have implemented regarding renewable energy. According to information released by the GAO, 23 agencies government wide, through 130 subagencies, implemented nearly 700 renewable energy initiatives in 2010. The U.S. Department of Defense, USDA, U.S. DOE, and the U.S. Department of the Interior were collectively responsible for nearly 60 percent of these initiatives.

Bioenergy, solar and wind topped the list of the most commonly supported sources of renewable energy. The GAO’s analysis also revealed that while the initiatives supported both public and private sectors, the majority of support was provided to the private sector. Across the federal agencies, more than 80 percent of initiatives were found to span four key federal roles. These include supporting research and development activities, the use of renewable energy in vehicle fleets and facilities, incentives for commercialization and deployment, and regulation, permitting and ensuring compliance. The GAO also noted that certain agencies were found to lead each of these four efforts. Specifically, DOE, DOD and USDA led research and development activities while the DOD, General Services Administration and DOE led efforts regarding energy use in fleets and facilities. Regarding commercialization and deployment, the GAO said efforts were led by the Treasury and USDA. Finally, regulation, permitting and compliance initiatives were led by the Interior and the EPA.

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A full copy of the report can be downloaded from the GAO website.

Budget-cutting fever puts ethanol subsidies at risk

Minnesota Public Radio
by Mark Steil, Minnesota Public Radio
March 4, 2011

Worthington, Minn. — As lawmakers look for places to cut spending, federal support for ethanol could become a tempting target. The U.S. Government Accountability Office says ethanol subsidies cost taxpayers billions of dollars and are not necessary.

Those subsidies are important to farmers in Minneesota, which is the nation's fourth largest ethanol producer.

The ethanol subsidy known as the "blenders credit" nearly died last year. But at the last moment, Congress renewed the 45-cent-a-gallon payout as part of the tax package it approved in December.

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Ethanol law reform could save $5.7 billion per year: GAO

Reuters
By Charles Abbott
WASHINGTON Tue Mar 1, 2011 6:31pm EST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Reform of U.S. ethanol incentives could save up to $5.7 billion a year, a congressional watchdog said on Tuesday as ethanol critics called on Congress to let the tax breaks expire at the end of this year.

In an examination of federal spending, the Government Accountability Office said the ethanol tax credit and a federal law requiring use of biofuels "can be duplicative ... and can result in substantial loss of revenue."

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GAO releases report criticizing failure of DOE cellulosic ethanol loan guarantee program

Biofuels Digest
July 14, 2010 Jim Lane

In Washington, the Government Accountability Office issued a report documenting a series of shortcomings in the Department of Energy’s administration of the federal loan guarantee program for energy projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy commented, “The Energy Department’s loan guarantee program is not working properly and that is especially true for cellulosic ethanol. Since the Department of Energy began administering this program six years ago, there is yet to be a single loan guarantee issued to a producer of cellulosic ethanol…just yesterday, the Environmental Protection Agency revised the nation’s cellulosic ethanol production target for next year from 250 million gallons to less than 20 million gallons. The single biggest reason for that revision is a lack of financing available to cellulosic ethanol producers, many of which are ready to build plants if funding can be secured.”

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U.S. GAO Report

GAO report explores water impacts of ethanol production, use

examiner.com (Chicago)
December 1, 7:56 PM
Seattle Energy Policy Examiner Jim DiPeso

Water could be a sleeper issue in determining how much and what kinds of biofuel crops are grown as a strategy for reducing oil dependence.

In a report published November 30, the Government Accountability Office said that "next-generation" ethanol feedstocks, such as Pacific Northwest timber slash, could reduce biofuel-related water consumption compared to corn. Not enough is known about the water impacts of relying on such feedstocks, however, because ethanol hasn't been produced from them at a large enough scale, the report said.

Water-stingy agricultural practices and use of non-potable water could reduce stress on fresh water supplies, but there are economic and logistical barriers to adopting such methods, the report said.

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GAO report poses tough questions for ethanol

StarTribune.com (Minneapolis - St. Paul)
By MATT McKINNEY, Star Tribune
Last update: October 2, 2009 - 7:59 PM

Study questions need for tax incentives and urges broader look at environmental impact.

In a report that raises significant questions for the corn ethanol industry, the U.S. Government Accountability Office on Friday questioned the need for tax credits supporting the industry while urging Congress to consider broad effects on air, water and wildlife before expanding biofuel production.

The report, prepared at the request of Sens. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, examined what will happen in coming years as biofuel production expands. Congress has already mandated a steep increase in biofuels, requiring oil companies to blend some 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels into fuel supplies by 2022, up from about 10 billion gallons in 2008. By contrast, consumers in the United States burned some 138 billion gallons of gasoline last year.

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