Monday, May 12, 2008

U.S. energy subsidies

Not what you might think, or have been led to believe...

Congress seems ready to spend billions on a new "Manhattan Project" for green energy [...]

[...] For electricity generation, the EIA concludes that solar energy is subsidized to the tune of $24.34 per megawatt hour, wind $23.37 and "clean coal" $29.81. By contrast, normal coal receives 44 cents, natural gas a mere quarter, hydroelectric about 67 cents and nuclear power $1.59. [...]

[...] The same study also looked at federal subsidies for non-electrical energy production, such as for fuel. It found that ethanol and biofuels receive $5.72 per British thermal unit of energy produced. That compares to $2.82 for solar and $1.35 for refined coal, but only three cents per BTU for natural gas and other petroleum liquids.

All of this shows that there is a reason fossil fuels continue to dominate American energy production: They are extremely cost-effective. That's a reality to keep in mind the next time you hear a politician talk about creating millions of "green jobs." Those jobs won't come cheap, and you'll be paying for them.

Interesting... {moves branches to the left... peeks out) verrrrrrry interesting...

4 comments:

Gayle said...

ACK! Why did you move the branches to the left, whe you should have moved them to the right! ;)

'Tis interesting indeed, and off topic, I hope you don't have to update the poppies often too.

Gayle said...

I'm vewy,vewy tired. I didn't proof. My bad! :(

Gayle said...

Just found out the Polar Bear has been declared an endangered species. This will of course, affect oil drilling in Alaska. *sigh* I hate this congress!

Tim said...

Gayle...
Cause that is what I remember Arte Johnson doing on a regular basis on Laugh In!

Had to update the poppies today. We lost another outstanding Canadian.

Hopefully Alaska will be successful in their challenge of this ridiculous decision. There are more polar bears today than en the past several decades. Politicians are all a bunch of loons...