SDI 2008-2009 1

BHR Lab Topicality Definitions

Federal Government ......................................................................................................................2
Substantial (Generic).....................................................................................................................3
Substantial (Contextual).................................................................................................................4
Increase ..........................................................................................................................................6
Alternative ......................................................................................................................................7
Energy.............................................................................................................................................8
Alternative Energy = Conservation................................................................................................9
Alternative Energy =/= Conservation..........................................................................................10
Alternative Energy =/= Fossil Fuels.............................................................................................11
Alternative energy = Nuclear.......................................................................................................12
Alternative Energy =/= Nuclear...................................................................................................13
Alternative Energy = Coal ...........................................................................................................14
Alternative Energy =/= Coal.........................................................................................................16
Alternative Energy = Transportation Only..................................................................................17
Incentives = Regulation................................................................................................................18
Incentives =/= Regulations...........................................................................................................19
Alternative Energy Incentives......................................................................................................20

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BHR Lab Topicality Definitions

Federal Government
Federal government is the national government
Bryan Garner, (Editor-in-chief), BLACK’S LAW DICTIONARY, 3rd Paperback Edition, 06, 283. Of or relating to
the national government of the United States.

Federal government includes states working together

Christine Lindberg, (Managing Editor), OXFORD COLLEGE DICTIONARY, 2nd Ed., 07, 501-502. Federal:
Having or relating to a system of government in which several states form a unity but remain
independent in internal affairs.

Federal government subsumes the state government

Susan Ellis Wild, (Editor), WEBSTER’S NEW WORLD LAW DICTIONARY, 06, 141. Federal: Pertaining to a
system of government such as that adopted in the United States, in which a national government
oversees a federal of local governments, with distinctly designed but overlapping responsibilities.

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BHR Lab Topicality Definitions

Substantial (Generic)

Substantial must be a real change

Christine Lindberg, (Managing Editor), OXFORD COLLEGE DICTIONARY, 2nd Ed., 07, 1369. Substantial: Real
and tangible rather than imaginary.

Substantial doesn’t have to be real

Christine Lindberg, (Managing Editor), OXFORD COLLEGE DICTIONARY, 2nd Ed., 07, 1369. (NY: Sparks
Publishing) Substantial: concerning the essence of something

Substantial means fundamental

COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY, 06, 1606. Substantial: Of or relating to the basic or
fundamental substance or aspects of a thing.

Substantial means important

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, 4th Editon, 06,
1727. Substantial: Considerable in importance, value, degree, amount, or extent : won by a substantial
margin.

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BHR Lab Topicality Definitions

Substantial (Contextual)

Substantial means 25-40%

Eban Goodstein, (Prof., Economics, Lewis & Clark College), ECONOMICS AND THE ENVIRONMENT, 08, 404.
The National Academy of Sciences concluded that, using known technologies, fuel economy could be raised
substantially over the next decade at no net cost to consumers. SUV mileage, for example, could be improved by 25%
to 40%, with the increased vehicle costs more than offset by the (discounted) fuel savings.

Tax credits are substantial

Gilbert Metcalf, (Prof., Economics, Tufts University), A PROPOSAL FOR A U.S. CARBON TAX SWAP, Oct. 07, 21.
Empirical work suggests that efficiency investment tax credits have a substantial impact on efficiency
investments.

Taxes are substantial

Jonathan M. Harris, (Prof., Global Development And Environment Institute, Tufts U.), ENVIRONMENTAL AND
NATURAL RESOURCE ECONOMICS: A CONTEMPORARY APPROACH, 06, 422. People in the United States, for
example, may drive more partly because travel distances (especially in the western states) are greater than in many European
countries. But [data] does indicate a clear price/consumption relationship. The data suggest[s] that it would take a fairly
big price hike—in the range of $0.50–$1.00 per gallon or more—to affect fuel use substantially. A
much larger tax would be needed to promote a major shift away from fossil fuels.

Substantial must be $50 billion or more

Michael Klare, (Prof., World Security Studies, Hampshire College), OIL: OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS, 06, 115. So,
instead of spending hundreds of billions of dollars on highways, which encourages increased oil consumption, let's invest in
urban mass transit, high-speed intercity rail systems (like those now operating in Europe), and the development of
environmentally-friendly energy systems, including those powered by the sun, wind, and waste biomass. In particular, let's
devote a substantial sum—say $50 billion—for accelerating the development of hybrid vehicles,
super-fuel-efficient cars, and hydrogen-powered fuel cells.

Allowances for emissions are substantial

Robert Stavins, (Prof., Government, JFK School of Government, Harvard U.), A U.S. CAP-AND-TRADE SYSTEM TO
ADDRESS GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE, Oct. 07, 23. The cap-and-trade system would create a new
commodity, a CO2 allowance, which would have value because of its scarcity: only as many allowances would be issued
as is consistent with the emissions target. The government could distribute allowances for free or auction them. This
proposal recommends an allowance allocation mechanism that combines auctions with free distribution, with auctions
becoming more important over time. The aggregate value of allowances in a nationwide system would be
substantial. Indeed, if all allowances are auctioned, annual auction receipts would amount to a significant share of federal
revenue.

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BHR Lab Topicality Definitions

Federal government incentives are substantial

Samuel Bodman, (Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy), PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008 FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, Sen. Energy & Natural Resources Hrg., Feb. 7, 07, 92. The Government has provided
substantial incentives that support the near-term development and deployment of the large geothermal
resource base. Geothermal enjoys both an investment tax credit and a production tax credit that improve the technology’s
competitive position.

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BHR Lab Topicality Definitions

Increase
Increase is to make greater
Catherine Soanes, (Editor-In-Chief), OXFORD DICTIONARY OF CURRENT ENGLISH, 4th Ed., 06, 461. Increase:
Make or become greater in size, amount, or intensity.

Increase is increasing size

MERRIAM-WEBSTER’S POCKET DICTIONARY, 06, 175. Increase: Enlargement in size.

Increase means net gain in power

WORDS AND PHRASES CUMULATIVE SUPPLEMENTARY PAMPHLET, Vol. 20A, 07, 309. Increase:
Term “increase” as used in statute giving the Energy Commission modification jurisdiction over any alteration, replacement,
or improvement of equipment that results in “increase” of 50 megawatts or more in electric generating capacity of existing
thermal power plant, refers to “net increase” in power plant’s total generating capacity in deciding
whether there has been the requisite 50-megawatt increase as a result of new units being incorporated into the
plant. Department of Water & Power v. Energy Resources Conservation & Development Com., 3 Cal.Rptr.2d 289, 2
Cal.App.4th 206.

Increase can be time, not just money

WORDS AND PHRASES CUMULATIVE SUPPLEMENTARY PAMPHLET, Vol. 20A, 07, 76. Increase: A
durational modification of child support is as much an “increase” as a monetary modification. State ex rel.
Jarvela v. Burke, 678 N.W.2d 68.

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BHR Lab Topicality Definitions

Alternative
Alternative means different
Carol-June Cassidy, (Editor), CAMBRIDGE DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN ENGLISH, 2nd Ed., 08, 22.
Alternative: Something that is different, esp. from what is usual; a choice.

Alternative means unconventional

Christine Lindberg, (Managing Editor), OXFORD COLLEGE DICTIONARY, 2nd Ed., 07, 36. Alternative: of or
relating to behavior that is considered unconventional and is often seen as a challenge to traditional
norms.

Alternative means mutually exclusive

Christine Lindberg, (Managing Editor), OXFORD COLLEGE DICTIONARY, 2nd Ed., 07, 36. Alternative:
Available as another possibility; of two things mutually exclusive.

Alternative means different options

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, 4th Editon, 06, 54.
Alternative: The choice between two mutually exclusive possibilities.

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BHR Lab Topicality Definitions

Energy

Energy needs to be power

Lindberg, (Managing Editor), OXFORD COLLEGE DICTIONARY, 2nd Ed., 07, 456. Energy: power
Christine
derived from the utilization of physical or chemical resources, esp. to provide light and heat or to work
machines.

Energy is the capacity to do work

Christopher Simon, (Prof., Political Science, U. Nevada, Reno), ALTERNATIVE ENERGY: POLITICAL, ECONOMIC,
AND SOCIAL FEASIBILITY, 07, 40. Energy is defined as "the capacity to do work. Forms of energy include
thermal, mechanical, electrical, and chemical. Energy may be transformed from one form into another."

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BHR Lab Topicality Definitions

Alternative Energy = Conservation

Alternative energy includes conservation

Amanda Kooser, (Staff, entrepreneur.com), MAKE ALTERNATIVE ENERGY YOUR BUSINESS, Dec. 1, 06.
Retrieved Mar. 15, 08 from www.entrepreneur.com. Some major alternative energy growth areas include solar,
hydrogen, bio-fuel, fuel cells and energy conservation technologies.

Conservation is the most important alternative energy

Dan Chiras, (Prof., Engineering, Colorado College), THE HOMEOWNER’S GUIDE TO RENEWABLE ENERGY, 06,
259. First and foremost among alternatives is energy conservation: using what we need (the frugality
principle) and using it efficiently. Energy conservation is to our energy future what the emergency room is
to medicine. It can save us from crashing.

Conservation is the best alternative energy – it’s most predictable

Hillary Clinton, (U.S. Senator, New York), SENATORS’ PERSPECTIVES ON GLOBAL WARMING, Senate Hearing,
Jan. 30, 07, 46. Energy efficiency is an enormous and underutilized energy resource. It’s the
fastest, cheapest, and cleanest solution, and we ought to be doing more. California has done a particularly
good job on efficiency, holding total electricity use flat for the last 30 years and the economy has boomed.

Conservation is the most real world alternative energy – government mindset proves
Ron Pernick, (Dir., Clean Edge), THE CLEAN TECH REVOLUTION: THE NEXT BIG GROWTH AND
INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY, 07, 135. A new mind-set is emerging in which saving energy constitutes an
energy resource—the cheapest and cleanest resource of all. This mind-set now affects decisions by
governments, corporations, and investors worldwide. And when you combine efficiency with clean energy—a
power-saving building design, say, with solar PV cells generating electricity on the roof—you've created a new type of
entity that at certain times actually produces more power than it uses.

Improving energy efficiency is alternative energy

Jay Inslee & Bracken Hendricks, (U.S. Rep., Washington & Sr. Fellow, Center for American Progress), APOLLO'S
FIRE: IGNITING AMERICA'S CLEAN-ENERGY ECONOMY, 08, 267. The most critical area for immediate
policy action in a new Apollo energy project is the improvement of our nation's energy efficiency. Energy
efficiency has been called the "first fuel" because it is the area of our economy that offers the greatest amount of
low-hanging fruit. The best energy source is the energy you don't have to use. It is energy there
for the taking. Our mantra should be "It's energy efficiency, stupid!"

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BHR Lab Topicality Definitions

Alternative Energy =/= Conservation

Energy conservation is NOT alternative energy

Hermann Scheer, (Member of the German Bundestag), ENERGY AUTONOMY: THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND
TECHNOLOGICAL CASE FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY, 07, 197. The oft-cited statement, 'the greatest energy
source is energy conservation', is wrong on two counts: first, energy conservation is not an energy
source but instead simply reduces the demand for energy; and second, with nonrenewable energy the
potential for energy conservation is always smaller than the amount of non-renewable energy's total
consumption, since there is no such thing as a perpetual motion machine. 'Negawatt instead of megawatt' is how another
slogan goes. In other words, try to avoid using energy as much as possible.

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BHR Lab Topicality Definitions

Alternative Energy =/= Fossil Fuels

Fossil fuels aren’t alternative energy
Emma Carlson Berne, (Journalist), GLOBAL WARMING AND CLIMATE CHANGE, 08, 21. Alternative
sources of energy include solar power, wind power, landfill gas, geothermal power, biomass power,
hydrogen and fuel cells, and hydropower, though this list is far from inclusive. All of these sources share the
distinction of being renewable—meaning that they do not rely on a finite source—and most are either noncarbon
emitting or produce only a small amount of carbon.

Fossil fuels are not alternative energy

Cutler Cleveland & Christopher Morris, (Dir., Center for Energy & Environmental Studies, Boston U./Chief Editor,
Macmillan School Dictionary Series), DICTIONARY OF ENERGY, 06,
Alternative energy: Any energy
14.
system other than the traditional fossil, nuclear, and hydropower energy sources that have been the basis
of the growth of industrial society over the past two centuries; e.g., solar, wind, or hydrogen energy.

Alternatives exclude fossil fuels

Michael L. McKinney, (Professor, Environmental Science, U. Tennessee), ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE: SYSTEMS
AND SOLUTIONS, 4TH EDITION, 07, 601. Alternative energy sources: Energy sources, such as solar
power, wind power, and so forth, that are alternatives to the fossil fuels, nuclear power, and large-scale
hydroelectric power.

Fossil fuels aren’t alternative energy

Neil Schlager, (Journalist), ALTERNATIVE ENERGY, 06, 1. Nearly 90 percent of the world's energy comes from fossil
fuels. Because fossil fuels are the main source, they are not alternative energy sources. Fossil fuels include
coal, natural gas, and petroleum.

Alternative energy is not fossil fuels

Natural Resources Defense Council, GLOSSARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL TERMS, 08. Retrieved Feb. 20,
energy that is not popularly used and is
08 from http://www.nrdc.org/reference/glossary/a.asp. alternative energy —
usually environmentally sound, such as solar or wind energy (as opposed to fossil fuels).

Alternative energy isn’t fossil fuels – it’s not a major source

Van R. Cook, (Stock Analyst), ALTERNATIVE ENERGY COMPANY STOCKS, Apr. 5, 08.
Retrieved Apr. 19, 08 from
www.conservatismvsliberalism.com/energycrisis/alternativeenergystocks.htm. The major alternative
energy sources include ethanol, biodiesel, LNG, GTL, solar energy, wind power, fuel cells, hybrid
cars, geothermal energy, oil sands, and nuclear energy.

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BHR Lab Topicality Definitions

Alternative energy = Nuclear

Nuclear energy is empirically considered alternative energy

Christopher Simon, (Prof., Political Science, U. Nevada, Reno), ALTERNATIVE ENERGY: POLITICAL, ECONOMIC,
AND SOCIAL FEASIBILITY, 07, 41. At the federal level, the expansion of nuclear energy policy has been
proposed as a form of alternative energy, replacing the use of hydrocarbons to produce electrical or thermal
energy.

Nuclear fuel is alternative energy

Chesnutt, (Editor, Extension Tourism), ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES: OPTIONS FOR NOW AND
J. Thomas
THE FUTURE, Summer 07, 1. The primary alternative energy options under examination are combustible
biofuels (gasoline and diesel); nonconventional oil derived from oil sands, shale, or bitumen;
methanol; nuclear energy; and noncombustible fuel alternatives such as hydrogen fuel cells.

Nuclear energy already considered alternative energy

Joann Jovinelly, (Journalist), OIL: THE ECONOMICS OF FUEL, 08, 44. One of the most talked about
alternative energy sources is nuclear energy, which is already used around the world to produce
electricity. This is especially true in countries such as France, where it powers roughly 77 percent of the
nation's total electricity, and Belgium, where 56 percent of electrical power is derived from nuclear generators. In
America, only about 20 percent of all electrical power is currently generated by atomic reactors.

Nuclear power is a proven alternative energy incentive

Patrick Moore, (Chief Scientist, GreenSpirit & Co-Founder of GreenPeace), ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES, 06,
76-77. Indeed, nuclear power is already a proven alternative to fossil fuels. The United States relies on
nuclear power for some 20 percent of its electricity production, and produces nearly one-third of global
nuclear energy. Despite its current limited supply, nuclear energy now provides the vast majority (76.2 percent) of the U.S.'s
emission-free generation. (Others include hydroelectric, geothermal, wind, biomass, and solar.) In 2002, the use of nuclear
energy helped the U.S. avoid the release of 189.5 million tons of carbon into the air, if this electricity had been produced by
coal. In fact, the electric sector's carbon emissions would have been 29 percent higher without nuclear power. .

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BHR Lab Topicality Definitions

Alternative Energy =/= Nuclear

Alternative energy is an alternative to nuclear power

Michael L. McKinney, (Professor, Environmental Science, U. Tennessee), ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE: SYSTEMS
AND SOLUTIONS, 4TH EDITION, 07, 601. Alternative energy sources: Energy sources, such as solar power, wind
power, and so forth, that are alternatives to the fossil fuels, nuclear power, and large-scale hydroelectric power.

Nuclear power is not alternative energy

Cutler Cleveland & Christopher Morris, (Dir., Center for Energy & Environmental Studies, Boston U./Chief Editor,
Macmillan School Dictionary Series), DICTIONARY OF ENERGY, 06, 14. Alternative energy: Any energy system
other than the traditional fossil, nuclear, and hydropower energy sources that have been the basis of the
growth of industrial society over the past two centuries; e.g., solar, wind, or hydrogen energy.

Nuclear power is not alternative energy

NeilSchlager, (Journalist), ALTERNATIVE ENERGY, 06, 380. Most sources of "alternative" energy—which
usually means energy from any source other than fossil fuels and nuclear fission—depend on obvious,
natural sources of energy. The sun bathes Earth with light, which can either be turned into electricity or used directly for
light or heat. The wind and rivers are loaded with kinetic energy (the energy of matter in motion). Tides raise and lower the
sea, and hold a potentially useable source of energy.

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BHR Lab Topicality Definitions

Alternative Energy = Coal

Alternative energy includes coal
Christopher Simon, (Prof., Political Science, U. Nevada, Reno), ALTERNATIVE ENERGY: POLITICAL, ECONOMIC,
AND SOCIAL FEASIBILITY, 07, 42. The federal definition of alternative fuel is found in Title 42, chapter 77 §6374 of
the U.S. Code: The term "alternative fuel" means methanol, denatured ethanol, and other alcohols; mixtures
containing 85 percent or more (or such other percentage, but not less than 70 percent, as determined by the Secretary, by
rule, to provide for requirements relating to cold start, safety, or vehicle functions) by volume of methanol, denatured
ethanol, and other alcohols with gasoline or other fuels; natural gas; liquefied petroleum gas; hydrogen; coal-
derived liquid fuels; fuels (other than alcohol) derived from biological materials; electricity (including electricity from
solar energy); and any other fuel the Secretary determines, by rule, is substantially not petroleum and would yield substantial
energy security benefits and substantial environmental benefits.

Coal is alternative energy

Simon, (Prof., Political Science, U. Nevada, Reno), ALTERNATIVE ENERGY: POLITICAL, ECONOMIC,
Christopher
AND SOCIAL FEASIBILITY, 07, 40-41. In some cases, there are even different tiers or categories of "alternative energy,"
depending on the source's level or shades of "greenness." Perhaps the most well-known recent example of very broadly
defined and apparently "relaxed" standards for the concept "alternative energy" comes from the state of Pennsylvania,
which has effectively moved away from more narrowly defined federal definitions. Adopted into law in November 2004,
Pennsylvania Senate Bill 1030 identifies energy sources and relates these sources to relative "greenness," which is by
implication measured by the level of environmental emissions or potential for environmental harm. The alternative energy
greenness divides types into Tier I and Tier II alternative energy sources. Tier I alternative energy sources are: (1) solar
PV energy; (2) wind power; (3) low-impact hydropower;' (4) geothermal energy;'- (5) biologically
derived methane gas; (6) fuel cells; (7) biomass energy; and (8) coal mine methane. In scrutinizing
these Tier I sources and the related definitions in the footnotes, the reader might dispute their categorization as relatively low
impact forms of energy. Coal mine methane and biomass derived energy, for instance, produce greenhouse gases.
Pennsylvania's Tier II alternative energy resources provide an even broader view when it comes to common associations
with "green" energy. The second-tier sources are as follows: (1) waste coal; (2) distributed generation systems;
(3) demand-side management; (4) large-scale hydropower; (5) municipal solid waste; (6) generation
of electricity utilizing byproducts of the pulping process and wood-manufacturing process, including
bark, wood chips, sawdust, and lignin in spent pulping liquors; and (7) integrated combined coal
gasification technology. The Pennsylvania statute illustrates the capacity of government to narrowly or broadly define
alternative energy. Alternative energy cannot be assumed to have certain properties, such as zero greenhouse gas emissions
or complete disassociation from hydrocarbon energy sources.

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BHR Lab Topicality Definitions

Coal is alternative energy – Bush proves

Peter Montague, (Staff), RACHEL'S DEMOCRACY & HEALTH NEWS, Sept. 20, 07. Retrieved Apr. 19, 08 from
www.precaution.org. Big Coal played a crucial role in getting George Bush elected, and Mr. Bush is loyal to a fault. The
President has said he wants the nation to adopt "alternative energy" — being careful not to say "renewable energy." Coal
fits the President's definition of "alternative" energy.

Contextually, coal is alternative energy

Roy Nersesian, (Prof., Columbia U. Center for Energy and Marine Transportation), ENERGY FOR THE 21ST
CENTURY: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO CONVENTIONAL AND ALTERNATIVE SOURCES, 07, 216. The
U.S. Department of Energy defines alternative fuels as substantially nonpetroleum methods that enhance energy
security and the environment. The list includes methanol and ethanol fuels of at least 70 percent alcohol,
compressed or liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), hydrogen, coal-derived liquid
fuels, biofuels, and electricity, including solar power.

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BHR Lab Topicality Definitions

Alternative Energy =/= Coal

Alternative energy excludes coal

Alternative Energy for a Better World, WHAT IS ALTERNATIVE ENERGY?, Dec. 29, 07. Retrieved Apr.
alternative energy is the
19, 08 from http://cleannewpower.com. Basic Definition of Alternative Energy: Quite simply,
creation of energy from materials that do not harm the environment or drain the Earth's natural
resources. Therefore, energy from a nuclear plant or coal cannot be categorized in this group because
they are harmful to the Earth and deplete the natural resources.

Coal is not alternative energy

Christopher Simon, ALTERNATIVE ENERGY: POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL FEASIBILITY, 07, 39. The
federal definition of alternative energy is best summarized by Title 26, Chapter 70, Paragraph 7701 of the Revised U.S.
Code: “The term ‘alternative energy facility’ means a facility for producting electrical or thermal energy if
the primary energy source for the facility is not oil, natural gas, coal, or nuclear power.”

Coal isn’t alternative energy

SSOE Systems, Inc. ALTERNATIVE ENERGY, 08. Retrieved Apr. 19, 08 from
www.ssoe.com/ssoe_systems_alternative_energy.htm. Alternative energy is defined as
electrical power derived
from a renewable resource such as solar or wind energy, as opposed to a single-use resource such as
coal.

Coal is a fossil fuel – that’s not alternative energy

Neil Schlager, (Journalist), ALTERNATIVE ENERGY, 06, 1. Nearly 90 percent of the world's energy comes from fossil
fuels. Because fossil fuels are the main source, they are not alternative energy sources. Fossil fuels
include coal, natural gas, and petroleum.

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BHR Lab Topicality Definitions

Alternative Energy = Transportation Only

Alternative energy only applies to transportation – not other uses

Christopher Simon, (Prof., Political Science, U. Nevada, Reno), ALTERNATIVE ENERGY: POLITICAL, ECONOMIC,
AND SOCIAL FEASIBILITY, 07, 41-42. Federal law is fairly definitive when it comes to alternative fuels. Alternative
fuel issues are often tied directly to their primary use: transportation. Federal fuels policies bring together
issues related to stored energy sources and management, transportation infrastructure, and environmental quality regulations
as well as federal monies to state and local governments.

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BHR Lab Topicality Definitions

Incentives = Regulation

Regulations are incentives

Chris Park, (Dir., Graduate Studies, Lancaster U.), A DICTIONARY OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION, 07.
224. Incentive-based regulation A government regulation (such as a tradable emissions allowance) that is designed
to induce changes in the behaviour of individuals or firms, in order to produce environmental, social, or
economic benefits that would otherwise be prescribed by legislation.

Incentives can be regulations – permits prove

Cutler Cleveland & Christopher Morris, (Dir., Center for Energy & Environmental Studies, Boston U./Chief Editor,
Macmillan School Dictionary Series), DICTIONARY OF ENERGY, 06, 224. Incentive-based: Describing a
regulation that uses the economic behavior of firms and households to attain desired environmental
goals. Incentive-based programs involve taxes on emissions or tradable emission permits.

Government regulations are incentives

Caton, (Prof., Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M U.), ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS ALTERNATIVE
Jerald
ENERGY PRODUCTION, 07, 130. With respect to electrical power production, certain governmental regulations
were passed during the late 1970s, which removed barriers and provided incentives to encourage
cogeneration development.

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BHR Lab Topicality Definitions

Incentives =/= Regulations

Regulations and incentives are distinctly different
Winston Harrington, (Prof., Georgetown U. Public Policy Institute), THE RFF READER IN ENVIRONMENTAL
AND RESOURCE POLICY: SECOND EDITION, 06, 66. Environmental policies can rely more on direct
regulation (the command-and-control or CAC approach) or, alternatively, on economic incentives for
environmental protection.

Incentives are better than regulation – they’re not the same thing
David Goldstein, (Staff, Natural Resources Defense Council), SAVING ENERGY, GROWING JOBS: HOW
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PROMOTES ECONOMIC GROWTH, 07, 276. Incentives have proven more
effective than regulation in a few cases (recall how utilities can be rewarded for improving their customers' efficiency
rather than being required to do so). In other cases, the tradeoff is more economic either incentives or
regulations can be effective, but regulations are significantly less expensive. Sometimes incentives do things that
regulation is unable to: new technologies, that are so advanced we are uncertain of their effectiveness obviously cannot be
required, yet they can be promoted through incentives. The best mix of standards, incentives, and other polices seldom has
been discussed in practical terms instead what little discussion there has been is generally so broad and philosophical that it
fails to lead to any recommendations that can be implemented.

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BHR Lab Topicality Definitions

Alternative Energy Incentives

Alternative energy incentives doesn’t include regulations
Alternativeenergysource.org, 2008, [Alternativeenergysource.org, “Alternative Energy
Incentives”, 2008, http://www.alternativeenergysource.org/incentives.html]
Due to the high initial costs of alternative energy systems, some sort of financial assistance is necessary for most of us
to justify the investment in installing a renewable energy source (solar, wind turbines, etc…) to our homes or
businesses. The financial payback would be too far out, if at all, to justify without it. Alternative energy
incentives come in many forms; i.e. grants, tax abatements, rebates, incentives, subsidies,
paybacks, carbon offset earnings, buy backs and more. Depending on where you live, you can expect to
receive 35-75% in incentives off the original costs of the alternative system. Check with your supplier and installer if
they will help facilitate any of the incentives in your area.

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