Tournament: CSUN | Round: 6 | Opponent: Fresno MR | Judge: 

350 parts per million is the highest amount of C02 that can be released in the atmosphere to sustain life.

350.org  12, “350 Science,”  http://350.org/en/about/science

Propelled by the news.... to at most 350 ppm."

Currently, the Earth is at 392 parts per million C02 in the atmosphere.

350.org  12, “350 Science,”  http://350.org/en/about/science

Beginning in the 18th century... in already resource-strapped regions.

If we do not make significant efforts to mitigate climate disruption, extinction will be inevitable

Sify ’10 (Sydney newspaper citing Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, professor at University of Queensland and Director of the Global Change Institute, and John Bruno, associate professor of Marine Science at UNC (Sify News, “Could unbridled climate changes lead to human extinction?”, http://www.sify.com/news/could-unbridled-climate-changes-lead-to-human-extinction-news-international-kgtrOhdaahc.html, TGA)

The findings of the ...were published in Science.

However, we have not passed a tipping point yet and the only way to address this issue is with long term expectations

350.org  12, “350 Science,”  http://350.org/en/about/science

That will be... irreversible climate impacts.

The Plan

The United States Federal Government should substantially increase financial incentives for solar energy production in the United States by renewing the 1603 Treasury Grant program.

The 1603 cash grant was denied renewal earlier this year

Valenza ’12 ( Tor Valenza “Why the 1603 Treasury Grant Program Matters to Solar and RE”, http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2012/03/26-senators-go-on-the-record-we-dont-support-solar-jobs-or-any-renewable-energy-jobs)

 Last Tuesday ..... and lease contracts. 

 The cash grants significantly lowered the cost of solar capital while increasing production

Jaffrey ’12 (Jonathan, “Changing the US financing landscape for restarting stalled and future solar PV projects”, August 27, 2012.  http://www.pv-magazine.com/opinion-analysis/blogdetails/beitrag/changing-the-us-financing-landscape-for-restarting-stalled-and-future-solar-pv-projects-_100008208/#axzz2BbwVUOT6”)

As part of the.... expense completely.

And the 1603 cash grant program was responsible for a surge in solar energy activity

Bloomberg ’12 (Bloomberg new energy finance, “Re-imagining US solar financing”, June 4, 2012)

Asset financing.... in September 2011. 

1603 spurred investment in a wide range of solar technology

NREL 6/12  (p. 22 http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy12osti/53720.pdf)

Assuming §1603 awards... 550 projects awarded.

Continuous lack in incentives prevents more research and development and renewable energy from flourishing.

Bloomberg 12, “GLOBAL TRENDS IN RENEWABLE ENERGY INVESTMENT 2012 GLOBAL TRENDS IN RENEWABLE ENERGY INVESTMENT 2012” http://fs-unep-centre.org/sites/default/files/publications/globaltrendsreport2012final.pdf

 The danger however ... emerging “green economy”.

Increased RandD is vital for the development and transition to a renewable energy market

ICSU 2009, Research and Development on Renewable Energies: A Global Report on Photovoltaic and Wind Energy http://www.icsu.org/publications/reports-and-reviews/ispre-photovoltaic-wind/ISPRE_Photovoltaic_and_Wind.pdf

Strong and targeted... energy system.

Increasing federal grants increases the amount of RandD

DOE ‘12

(Department of Energy 2012, “FY 2012 Congressional Budget Request”

http://www.cfo.doe.gov/budget/12budget/Content/FY2012Highlights.pdf)

Extending access....extension of this pro

A long-term outlook on the development of RandD is vital for the renewables’ short-term development, high production and industry leadership.

ICSU 2009, Research and Development on Renewable Energies: A Global Report on Photovoltaic and Wind Energy http://www.icsu.org/publications/reports-and-reviews/ispre-photovoltaic-wind/ISPRE_Photovoltaic_and_Wind.pdf 

Although reliable....near-term technology development.

More RandD for renewable technologies will allow for long-term improvements that will make them more competitive in the energy market.

ICSU 2009, Research and Development on Renewable Energies: A Global Report on Photovoltaic and Wind Energy http://www.icsu.org/publications/reports-and-reviews/ispre-photovoltaic-wind/ISPRE_Photovoltaic_and_Wind.pdf

RandD with a short-term...public sector support.

RandD needed to prevent extinction

 Chris Thomas ’04 Center for Biodiversity and Conservation. “Extinction Risk from Climate Change.”  http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v427/n6970/full/nature02121.html

Climate change... for carbon sequestration.

NASA is looking to solar technology to further space exploration

Meehan ’11 (Chris Meehan, Clean Energy Authority.  “NASA Looks to Solar Powered Engines for Space Exploration”, September 20, 2011.  Clean Energy Authority specializes in breaking news and development of technology.)

The origins of .... January 2012, he said.

These solar based fuels will reduce the cost of space travel

Sharma ‘9 ( Tanay Sharma, Rupert Young, Chris Chatwin, Philip Birch. Recent Advances in Space Technologies, 4th international conference. “Low cost propulsion systems for the developing world”.

Furthermore, based... use of alternative fuels.

Lowering the costs and increasing the efficiency of space travel allows for space based solar power

Collins and Autino ‘8 (Patrick, econ professor-Azabu University (Japan) and a Collaborating Researcher with the Institute for Space and Astronautical Science, and Adriano, President of the Space Renaissance International, “What the Growth of a Space Tourism Industry Could Contribute to Employment, Economic Growth, Environmental Protection, Education, Culture and World Peace, “http://www.spacefuture.com/archive/what_the_growth_of_a_space_tourism_industry_could_contribute_to_employment_economic_growth_environmental_protection_education_culture_and_world_peace.shtml)

A second possibility... SSP economically 14.

SSP allows for even more energy generation than terrestrial solar plants

Dubey ’12 (Dr. Kalam is the former president of India and has experience leading their space program, https://www.classle.net/content-page/tap-solar-power-space-drapjabdul-kalam)

To answer the.... to be conducted.

SSP can solve for the impacts of climate change in the long term

National Space Society ’07 (“Space Solar Power Limitless clean energy from space” http://www.nss.org/settlement/ssp/)

The United States... of our planet.

Tournament: NCFA | Round:  | Opponent:  | Judge:
Inherency
Currently, large-scale solar projects have a significant advantage over distributed solar because of the imbalance of incentives they receive
Bowers ’12 (Sheila, Bill Powers.  Bowers is a citizen activist with solardoneright.org, has researched the economic, political, and legal biases that promote industrial-scale energy.  Powers is the principle of Powers Engineering, an air-quality-consulting engineering firm.  “Distributed Renewable Generation” Energy: Overdevelopment and the Delusion of Endless Growth. Post Carbon Institute.  2012)

Large-scale remote solar... many types of costs onto local communities, ratepayers, and ecosystems.

And the types of incentives that specifically spur distributed solar projects are lacking in America
Nelder ’11 (Chris, “Why America needs a feed-in tariff” Smart Planet.  November 9, 2011. http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/energy-futurist/why-america-needs-a-feed-in-tariff/174)

The absence of a FiT has...industry instead of adding new capacity.
Plan
The United States Federal Government should implement feed-in tariffs for solar energy production in the United States.
Feed in Tariff Solvency
FiTs are the most sound policy options for allowing communities to quickly transition to renewable energy
Block ’12 (Ben, World Watch Institute, “North American Feed-in Tariff Policies Take Off” 2012.  http://www.worldwatch.org/node/6221)
Clean energy advocates in... that North America should follow

FITs effectively lower the cost of solar PV systems, making them more attractive than large-scale installation
Bowers ’12 (Sheila, Bill Powers.  Bowers is a citizen activist with solardoneright.org, has researched the economic, political, and legal biases that promote industrial-scale energy.  Powers is the principle of Powers Engineering, an air-quality-consulting engineering firm.  “Distributed Renewable Generation” Energy: Overdevelopment and the Delusion of Endless Growth. Post Carbon Institute.  2012)

Distributed generation, supported through feed-in tariffs...United States, despite economies of scale.
Decentralized solar through FITs is implemented faster than large-scale operations
Bowers ’12 (Sheila, Bill Powers.  Bowers is a citizen activist with solardoneright.org, has researched the economic, political, and legal biases that promote industrial-scale energy.  Powers is the principle of Powers Engineering, an air-quality-consulting engineering firm.  “Distributed Renewable Generation” Energy: Overdevelopment and the Delusion of Endless Growth. Post Carbon Institute.  2012)

Large-scale remote solar projects...and a half times as large.

Advantage 1 Warming
Climate Change is a short and long term threat to everything on Earth.  If we do not transition away from fossil fuels, then an irreversible cycle of feedbacks will melt the ice caps, raise sea levels and eventually result in the extinction of multiple species.
Hansen ’12 (James, director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space studies in New York and a leading atmospheric scientist.  Energy: Overdevelopment and the Delusion of Endless Growth, “Coal: The Greatest Threat to Civilization” 2012, Post Carbon Institute)

The climate is nearing tipping points...descendants that the world we inherited from our elders.
Distributed generation can mitigate GHGs faster and more effectively than large, industrial solar
Bowers ’12 (Sheila, Bill Powers.  Bowers is a citizen activist with solardoneright.org, has researched the economic, political, and legal biases that promote industrial-scale energy.  Powers is the principle of Powers Engineering, an air-quality-consulting engineering firm.  “Distributed Renewable Generation” Energy: Overdevelopment and the Delusion of Endless Growth. Post Carbon Institute.  2012)

Unlike energy systems in the “concrete jungle”...“none” which is the case with distributed generation.

Black Outs
Our large, centralized  grid is vulnerable to threats ranging from terrorist attacks all the way to simply pressing the wrong button.  Any of these scenarios can result in a massive blackout at any time.
Severson ’12 (Deb, a writer for StopPath a registered 501(c)4 social justice grassroots organization.  This specific article references studies by the DOE, NERC, etc. “Learning from the Cascading Power Failures that Brought Down the Power Grid in India” StopPath. 8/6/12. http://stoppathwv.com/1/post/2012/8/learning-from-the-cascading-power-failures-that-brought-down-the-power-grid-in-india.html) 

On Tuesday July 31, 2012, India’s...increase the likelihood of systems collapse.”

Electricity is necessary for everyday life.  Blackouts put humanity at risk of being unable to live safely.
CRO Forum 2011
(“Power Black Out Risks” The CRO Forum was formed in 2004 to advance risk management practice in the insurance industry. The CRO Forum member companies are large multi-national insurance companies. Our members are headquartered across the world with a concentration in Europe. https://www.allianz.com/v_1339677769000/media/responsibility/documents/position_paper_power_blackout_risks.pdf)

Most critical systems such as hospitals...water for emergency response teams.

A terrorist attack on the grid would be even worse, cutting off access to water and possibly resulting in thousands of deaths.
Wingfield ’12 (Brian, Jeff Bliss.  Based off study done by National Academy of Sciences. “Thousands Seen Dying If Terrorists Attack U.S. Power Grid”.  Bloomberg. Nov. 14, 2012. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-14/thousands-seen-dying-if-terrorists-attack-vulnerable-u-s-grid.html)
A terrorist attack on the U.S. power grid...property insurance during the second quarter.
Distributed energy systems come into existence quickly, are more resilient to disruptions, and reduce the demand for new grid infrastructure.
Farrell ’11 (John, member of the New World Project “Democratizing the Electricity System A Vision for the 21st Century Grid” June 2011. http://atcscam.homestead.com/democratizing-electricity-system.pdf)

There are a number of benefits...Rocky Mountain Institute’s Small is Profitable.