{"60228":{"#nid":"60228","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Report Shows Significant Potential for Renewable Energy in South","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe South could generate 20-30 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources within the next 20 years \u2013 up from less than 4 percent today -- if strong federal policies are enacted, according to a report released today by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Duke University. The analysis, \u201cRenewable Energy in the South,\u201d finds that conventional wisdom has underestimated the available renewable resources in the region and that a federal renewable electricity standard (RES) would enable the South to capitalize on this untapped renewable energy potential.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ERead the Full Report Here: \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.spp.gatech.edu\/aboutus\/workingpapers\/renewable-energy-in-the-south\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.spp.gatech.edu\/aboutus\/workingpapers\/renewable-energy-in-the-south\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe South lags behind all other regions in renewable electricity, obtaining 3.7 percent of its power from renewable sources, compared to 9.5 percent for the country as a whole. Only four states (Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, and Texas) have a state-level renewable portfolio standard, while three others have voluntary renewable energy goals.\u0026nbsp; The fate of renewables in the South is not only important for the region, but for the nation as a whole since, in 2008, the region accounted for 44 percent of the country\u2019s energy consumption.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOpponents of renewable energy production claim that the South lacks the renewable energy resources to capitalize on the growing demand for clean energy.\u0026nbsp; However, the report finds that there are abundant renewable energy resources available that can be tapped if supportive policies are put in place. The report shows that if a 25 percent (by 2025) federal RES is enacted, the amount of electricity supplied by power companies from renewable sources could increase more than 250 percent above the level expected in 2030 if no new federal renewables policies were enacted. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EA number of other studies have shown a large potential for renewable energy in the South,\u201d said Etan Gumerman of Duke University\u2019s Nicholas Institute and co-lead researcher of the study.\u0026nbsp; \u201cOur study shows that significant increases can actually be achieved, particularly through supportive local or federal policies.\u201d\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe report, using a customized version of the economic modeling system used by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, finds that a federal renewable electricity standard and carbon pricing system would increase the proportion of electricity derived from renewable sources by power companies in every state, particularly in wind and biomass. By 2030, the report shows, federal carbon pricing policy would increase renewable electricity production in the South by 390 percent.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u201cCountries around the world are already tapping into the potential of renewable energy, and are capturing export markets and generating jobs in the process,\u201d said Dr. Marilyn Brown of the Georgia Institute of Technology and co-lead researcher of the study.\u0026nbsp; \u201cThe report demonstrates that although many states in the South are off to a slow start, renewable initiatives are now underway across the region, and the potential for expansion is promising.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn addition, the report finds that electricity produced by end-users, such as households and businesses using small-scale solar electric and heating facilities, would also benefit from federal policies and could supply a substantial portion of the region\u2019s renewable electricity.\u0026nbsp; Under a 25 percent RES, for example, renewable electricity supplied by utilities and end-users could increase by 154 percent. Carbon pricing policy could lead to a 266 percent increase above the total level of renewable electricity expected in the absence of federal policy changes.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u201cIn the future, households and businesses have the potential to become major suppliers of clean, renewable electricity,\u201d added Dr. Brown.\u0026nbsp; \u201cThis changes the way we need to think about the South\u2019s renewable energy potential.\u201d \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout Dr. Marilyn Brown and Georgia Tech:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EDr. Marilyn Brown, a professor in the School of Public Policy at the Georgia Institute of Technology, is an internationally-recognized leader in the analysis and interpretation of energy futures in the United States. In 2007, Brown was a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize along with the other members of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Vice President Al Gore. Additional information about Brown and her research can be found at \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.spp.gatech.edu\/faculty\/faculty\/mbrown.php.\u00a0\u0022 title=\u0022http:\/\/www.spp.gatech.edu\/faculty\/faculty\/mbrown.php.\u00a0\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.spp.gatech.edu\/faculty\/faculty\/mbrown.php.\u00a0\u003C\/a\u003E Brown has been nominated to serve on the Board of the Tennessee Valley Authority and awaits confirmation.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts offers one of the world\u2019s top public policy programs. The research-intensive and globally engaged curriculum aims to solve complex problems in the public interest related to issues of research and technology, energy and sustainability, economic development and governance. The School of Public Policy is dedicated to scholarship and learning that is reflective, effective and sustainable.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout Etan Gumerman and Duke University\u2019s Nicholas Institute:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EEtan Gumerman is a scientific engineer at the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions at Duke University.\u0026nbsp; Prior to joining the Nicholas Institute, Gumerman was employed by Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and served as the lead modeler and analyst for the Scenarios for a Clean Energy Future Project.\u0026nbsp; In this role, Gumerman coordinated the efforts of scientists at five national laboratories. \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Nicholas Institute is a nonpartisan institute founded in 2005 to help decision makers in government, the private sector, and the nonprofit community address critical environmental challenges. The Institute responds to the demand for high-quality and timely data and acts as an \u201chonest broker\u201d in policy debates by convening and fostering open, ongoing dialogue between stakeholders on all sides of the issues and providing policy-relevant analysis based on academic research. The Institute\u2019s leadership and staff leverage the broad expertise of Duke University as well as public and private partners worldwide. Since its inception, the Institute has earned a distinguished reputation for its innovative approach to developing multilateral, nonpartisan, and economically viable solutions to pressing environmental challenges\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Federal Policies Can Spur Renewable Energy Growth In the South"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003Ehe South could generate 20-30 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources within the next 20 years \u2013 up from less than 4 percent today -- if strong federal policies are enacted, according to a report released today by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Duke University.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Federal policies can spur renewable energy growth In the south."}],"uid":"27309","created_gmt":"2010-07-27 13:16:10","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:07:15","author":"Daniel Treadaway","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2010-07-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2010-07-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"41699":{"id":"41699","type":"image","title":"Dr. Marilyn Brown","body":null,"created":"1449174338","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:25:38","changed":"1475894378","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:39:38","alt":"Dr. Marilyn Brown","file":{"fid":"100935","name":"ttf20022.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ttf20022_3.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ttf20022_3.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":47691,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ttf20022_3.jpg?itok=eCBwtzxB"}}},"media_ids":["41699"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.spp.gatech.edu\/aboutus\/workingpapers\/renewable-energy-in-the-south","title":"Renewable Energy in the South"}],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"}],"keywords":[{"id":"213","name":"energy"},{"id":"1637","name":"marilyn"},{"id":"4174","name":"renewable"},{"id":"168976","name":"south"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaura Diamond\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6016\u003Cbr \/\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["david.terraso@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}