Achieving emissions reductions to reach economywide net-zero emissions by 2050 will require sustained technological innovations and widespread deployment of emerging low-carbon technologies that are not yet commercially deployed on a mass-market scale. Tax credits are an important policy tool for supporting the early-stage deployment of emerging technologies as well as more mature technologies that have not yet reached widespread deployment. While existing federal tax credits have played an important role in enabling the deployment of several low-carbon technologies, including wind, solar, and electric vehicles, they also suffer from critical design deficiencies that make them less effective. This paper proposes six considerations for designing the next generation of federal tax credits that can support deployment of clean energy and low-carbon technologies in the U.S. power, transportation, industrial, and buildings sectors. Within each consideration, the paper lays out different approaches and discusses the tradeoffs between each.
Steel production in the United States accounts for around 100 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions. Available and emerging technologies have the ability to significantly decarbonize the steel industry. A low-carbon product standard for steel in the United States can incentivize the adoption of these technologies and result in emissions reductions while preserving the international competitiveness of domestic steel manufacturers.
This working paper identifies key climate policies and investments and estimates their emissions-reduction potential and associated costs, which can enable the United States to reduce economy-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50–52% compared to 2005 levels by 2030 and reach net-zero GHG emissions by midcentury, the goals set by the Biden administration.
Renewable natural gas (RNG), also known as biomethane or upgraded biogas, is growing in prominence as a strategy to help achieve state climate, waste management, and other sustainability goals. However, questions remain on whether projects can be easily deployed, the extent to which they can contribute to ambitious climate and environmental goals, and the trade-offs of supporting RNG versus alternative decarbonization strategies. This paper provides comprehensive guidance for policymakers on evaluating RNG resource potential, greenhouse gas emissions impacts, and deployment and policy options at the state level.
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