1. Clean Energy Development:
A Modern Approach to Government Involvement
Erik B. Olson
August 2nd, 2018

2. Comparisons
Beijing, November 2015
Logan, Utah 2013

3. Electricity
Environmental Protection Agency

4. All electricity is not created equal.

5. Low-Carbon electricity
Nuclear energy is the largest source of low-carbon electricity.
How is this chart changing with time?
Nuclear Energy Institute

6. The nuclear Dilemma Nuclear Energy is rapidly losing market share
Market Trends
Nuclear Energy is rapidly losing market share
Changes in market structures
Falling prices of natural gas and renewables
Cost overruns
Little construction since 1980s
Not for political reasons

7. The nuclear Dilemma
Perspective
Low emission electricity gains in solar and wind are being erased by losses in nuclear
Represents over $9B in solar specific government assistance since 2010

8. The nuclear Dilemma Shutdown in 2014 (mainly for market reasons)
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Plant
Shutdown in 2014 (mainly for market reasons)
70% of Vermont’s power, 4% of New England’s
Despite aggressive emissions reduction steps, CO2 increased in the state and region

9. The nuclear Dilemma Electricity demand is expected to grow by 12.5%
Projections
Electricity demand is expected to grow by 12.5%
Intermittency = Natural gas

10. Funding Success, Policy Failure
What is our goal?

11. The issue
Key Points
Nuclear is the largest source of low-carbon electricity, but is in rapid decline due to market forces
Federal incentives have succeeded in growing renewables, but have undermined the policy goal of decarbonizing
There is little funding to encourage nuclear deployment in the current electricity market
There are clear steps the Federal government can take to preserve and grow the nuclear sector

12. RECOMMENDATION 1: Allow wind Production Tax Credit (PTC) and solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) to expire without extensions

13. RECOMMENDATION 2: Reallocate and generalize tax credits for low-carbon electricity generators

14. RECOMMENDATION 3:
Reform the Public Utilities Regulatory Policy Act (PURPA) purchase mandates and qualifying facilities guidelines

15. RECOMMENDATION 4:
Conduct analysis on government incentives to spur decarbonization

16. "We're not in a clean energy revolution; we're in a clean energy crisis,"
- Michael Shellenberger, June 2016
Erik B. Olson
August 2nd, 2018