Energy Policy Act of 2005 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Provisions

The Act was intended to establish a comprehensive, long-range energy policy. It provides incentives for traditional energy production as well as newer, more efficient energy technologies, and conservation. More than 1,700 pages long, the Act has hundreds of provisions. Major items include:

* Provides an Energy Tax Incentives Act of 2005 Commercial Building Deduction for energy efficient building improvements
* Provides a tax credit of up to $3,400 for owners of hybrid vehicles;
* Authorizes loan guarantees for 'innovative technologies' that avoid greenhouse gases, which might include advanced nuclear reactor designs (such as PBMR) as well as clean coal and renewable energy;
* Increases the amount of biofuel (usually ethanol) that must be mixed with gasoline sold in the United States to triple the current requirement (7.5 billion gallons by 2012);
* Seeks to increase coal as an energy source while also reducing air pollution, through authorizing $200 million annually for clean coal initiatives, repealing the current 160-acre cap on coal leases, allowing the advanced payment of royalties from coal mines and requiring an assessment of coal resources on federal lands that are not national parks;
* Authorizes subsidies for wind energy, and other alternative energy producers;
* Adds ocean energy sources including wave power and tidal power for the first time as separately identified renewable technologies;
* Authorizes $50 million annually over the life of the bill for a biomass grant program;
* Contains several provisions aimed at making geothermal energy more competitive with fossil fuels in generating electricity;
* Requires the Department of Energy to study and report on existing natural energy resources including wind, solar, waves and tides;
* Provides tax breaks for those making energy conservation improvements to their homes;
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