Pigs at the Trough
As one of its final acts, the 2006 congress approved many gifts for its top political supporters. One of these was a $4.9 billion care package for the coal industry to help defray health care costs for coal workers by coal companies and is not the only direct monetary subsidy given. This is the same coal industry, that along with many others, scream like stuck pigs that the renewable energy industries cannot supply electricity at “market” price and depend far too much on government subsidies. $4.9 billion amounts to a gift of $16.00 from every man, woman and child in the US!
This corporate welfare was given to the coal industry to help offset costs at the front end of the coal usage cycle. But what about the back end? Every year thousands of people (children are the most affected) get sick or die from pollutants put into the atmosphere by coal burning power plants. Who pays for that? The folks who are making the money from selling you the electricity namely the coal industry or the utilities? NO. That money comes from you and me and the government.
The nuclear industry is never far from the government tit as well. I recently spoke at an exclusive event for important clients of a large law firm. The theme of the event was the future of energy production in the US. I was the only solar spokesperson and followed representatives from two of the largest nuclear companies to the podium. Their message was that not only was nuclear power safe and affordable but it did not depend on government subsidies like those expensive renewable fuel technologies, to achieve grid parity. The truth is that the Energy Act of 2005 provides that the federal government will pay all the court costs and settlements necessary for the nuclear industry if there is an accident. That provision potentially saves these companies Jillions in defrayed costs and makes their bottom line look so much better. Of course my fellow speakers did not inform our audience of that incredible gift.
Though I won’t go into detail, the oil and gas industry reaps a bountiful harvest of pork every year from our government. It is not an accident that we pay less for gasoline than the people in Canada and Mexico, the countries that provide us with the bulk of our imported oil. And who pays for the clean up? As you can see subsidies come in many forms but it all boils down to money given an industry by the government and/or the people. Face it, ALL FORMS OF ENEGY PRODUCTION IN THE US ARE SUBSIDIZED.
Yes, the solar industry receives subsidies from federal and state governments for R&D and market enhancement. But this amount is only a fraction of what the black and brown power technologies get. And there is no clean up or pollution for present and future generations to pay for and deal with. Not to mention energy security.
So when people say that solar and other renewable technologies are too expensive let them know that it is too expensive NOT to use green power technologies.
References (3)
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Xanax. Xanax with klonopin. Geniric xanax.
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Response: Snorting concerta adderall.Safely withdrawing from adderall.
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Response: bolirorochich
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