ie8 fix

'tax credit'

U.S. wind growing again, but business still choppy

Reuters

The U.S. wind industry is growing again after taking a big step backward last year.

Yet turbine makers and wind farm developers are finding few reasons to celebrate as the clean energy source struggles to secure long-term government support while facing stiff competition from cheap natural gas.

Once the world's top wind market, the United States ceded that mantle to China last year as a weak economy halted its growth and cut new installations to half of the 10,000 megawatts of capacity built in 2009.

Since then, business has picked up, but not for the reasons the industry would like. Energy demand is still tepid due to a gurgling economic recovery, and the low cost of natural gas is keeping power prices low.

Pricing in long-term power sales contracts signed by wind developers has fallen 30 percent in the last two years and will fall further this year, according to IHS Emerging Energy Research.

Currently, the market is being shepherded by developers who are scrambling to put turbines in the ground ahead of a 2013 expiration of lucrative federal tax credits for wind. Beyond that date, the industry's fortunes are hazy. … Read more

Car Tech Live 204: Ford pays dealers for the hassles of MyFord Touch (podcast)

Ford pays dealers for the pain of MyFord Touch, tomorrow's Hyundai could have a Samsung tablet dashboard, Obama loves EVs--not so much clean diesels. And we take you for a ride in the Jaguar XJ Super Sport.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) Episode 204 Show notes

Ford paying dealers to teach you MyFord Touch

Hyundai to integrate Samsung tablet in dash by 2013

Comodo Console promises to make any car high tech, connected

StreetBump app automatically reports potholes

$7,500 rebate, not tax credit, on the move for electric carsRead more

Car Tech Live 203: Get ready to get plugged-in

In this episode, Toyota gets exonerated, Hummer owners pretend their cars are electric, and do you wear your seatbelts?

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 203 SHOW NOTES

Toyota electronics not at fault for unintended acceleration

Hummer owner claims $7,500 EV tax credit

PNDs get into the backup camera business

Thumping systems SAFE FOR NOW in Hawaii...

Maybe a jump ball story: Rear seat belts: Do you wear them? How about seat belts in a cab?

Hummer owner claims $7,500 EV tax credit

Tax cheats found lucrative ground last year with the $7,500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles. The IRS says that of the approximately 65,000 people that claimed the credit, 20 percent were in error.

The EV tax credit was claimed for such vehicles as the Hummer H3, Dodge Durango, and Cadillac Escalade.

According to the IRS, the credit only applies to vehicles primarily powered by an electric motor, and that can be plugged in to recharge the batteries. Further, the batteries must have a capacity of at least 5 kilowatt-hours. A vehicle that meets this minimum requirement would … Read more

Car Tech Live 201: How much do we have to pay you to buy an electric car? (podcast)

How much do we have to pay you to buy an electric car? Ferrari does its first AWD hatchback! You might actually get your Nissan Leaf before you die. Plus, we drive the Scion tC.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 201 SHOW NOTES

Ferrari FF is an AWD hatchback

Electric car tax credit could become a rebate

Wireless carriers offer to block your phone while you're driving--for a fee

XM Sirius want permission to rate subscription rate

Share your car to make money?

CNET's LOL cars gallery!Read more

In U.K., Vint Cerf calls for IPv6 tax credits

The U.K. government should offer tax credits to businesses that upgrade their networking equipment to support IPv6, according to Vint Cerf, who is widely regarded as one of the founders of the internet.

Cerf, who co-invented TCP/IP, said on Thursday that businesses in the U.K. and the rest of Europe risked being cut off from customers in parts of the world that do have widespread IPv6 support. There will be no more IPv4 addresses available within two years' time, meaning no new people or devices will be able to be added to the Internet using this legacy … Read more

Obama awards $2.3 billion clean-energy tax credit

Reuters

U.S. President Barack Obama unveiled a $2.3 billion tax credit on Friday to boost jobs by promoting clean energy, as new data showed the country's unemployment rate remained stuck in the double digits.

Obama said the credit, from funds earmarked under a $787 billion stimulus package he signed last February, would create 17,000 U.S. jobs and be matched by an additional $5 billion in private capital.

"Building a robust clean-energy sector is how we will create the jobs of the future, jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced," Obama said.

"… Read more

Bailout plan bails out clean-energy sector

The massive U.S. financial bailout plan, signed into law Friday afternoon, renews existing tax credits for renewable energy and includes rebates for plug-in hybrid drivers.

Representatives from the wind and solar industries have lobbied for months to extend the credits to ensure continued growth. Without the supports in place, they warned business would stall, resulting in thousands of lost jobs.

In addition to the renewable energy "extenders," the law boosts subsidies to invest in non-conventional fossil fuels--so-called dirty fuels, such as making liquid fuel from coal or sand and rock. Also included are breaks to develop technologies … Read more

Volkswagen Jetta TDI clean diesel gets federal tax credit

According to information found on popular Volkswagen enthusiast site, VW Vortex, Volkswagen of America has announced that owners of the Jetta TDI sedan and SportWagen will be eligible for a $1,300 federal income tax credit. This announcement is affirmed by the Internal Revenue Service, which has issued a certification letter that defines the credit more specifically as the Advanced Lean Burn Technology Motor Vehicle income tax credit.

Factoring in this new tax credit, the clean diesel Jetta is only about $700 more expensive than the gasoline version. While this is good news for VW, it's not like they … Read more

Hope under the sun? Senators propose extending renewable energy tax credit

Suppliers in the renewable-energy industry have tried just about everything to pass a law to renew an important investment tax credit that is set to expire at the end of this year.

On Thursday, Sens. Mary Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Senator John Ensign (R-Nev.) introduced a bill that would extend that credit and provide incentives for energy-efficiency measures.

The Clean Energy Tax Stimulus Act of 2008 ( click here for PDF) extends the investment tax credit for eight more years for businesses.

Consumers would have the existing 30 percent federal tax credit on renewable energy projects, such as solar panels, extended another … Read more

The iPhone 5S rumor roundup

606Tweets

  • Microsoft pulls a 180, reverses Xbox One always-on DRM and used games policy

    294Google Plus Shares

  • Calling all S4 fans

    CNET's Galaxy S4 giveaway spectacular!

    The promo image for CNET's Galaxy S4 giveaway spectacular!

    CNET's publishing another supercharged e-book. "Mastering the Galaxy S4" is almost here, so we're celebrating with a huge S4-related giveaway.