Workshop 4: Incentives for Technology Innovation and Deployment

November 9, 2005

Robert LaCount posed the following three questions to frame the discussion.

* Would a price signal established through a greenhouse gas (GHG) trading market adequately encourage private sector investment in lower emitting technologies and accelerate development of additional technology options? To what extent should additional policies, including investment in public research, development, and deployment (RD&D), be used to support these technology goals?

* To the extent that additional policies are recommended for encouraging technology investments, what are the most effective methods to invest additional funds to support technology RD&D? How should funding be prioritized for basic research and development (R&D), demonstration projects, and deployment of proven but perhaps still expensive technologies?

* A GHG trading program provides a variety of mechanisms, including auctions, allocations, and safety valves, to generate funds that could be used to support technology investments. What mechanisms are recommended for generating funds under a GHG allowance trading market to support technology deployment and development goals?

National Commission on Energy Policy