USA:

Budget Deal Provides Tax Breaks For Green Energy (NPR)

GRC Member Daniel Kunz runs U.S. Geothermal, a company that creates electricity from sources of super hot water that occur naturally underground. When it looked like Congress might not renew tax credits for renewable energy, his company shelved plans to expand one of its plants.

Daniel Kunz of U.S. Geothermal, Inc.
(Courtesy U.S. Geothermal, Inc.)

But then Congress not only extended the tax credit for renewable energy projects but also changed the rules. Now, instead of needing to complete a project by the end of 2013 to be eligible, a company only has to start construction by the end of the year.

"In fact, this is going to help us make a decision, an economic decision, to go forward on a project that otherwise might not," Kunz says.

Kunz, of U.S. Geothermal, says the United States should keep investing in renewable energy. "It will never be the cure-all energy source, but it is a gift to our children when we build these things to have clean energy sources," he says.

These projects will produce less pollution, including greenhouse gases. They also can save money over the long haul because, unlike, say, a natural gas power plant, they don't need to keep buying fuel. (Audio. 3:39 Minutes)

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