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This is a topic from the Current Politics and Religious Topics forum on inthe00s.
Subject: What if solar got the same amount of subisdies as fossil fuel does?
Written By: ChuckyG on 10/22/10 at 2:43 pm
http://c1.cleantechnica.com/files/2010/10/solar-subsidized-like-fossil-fuels.jpg
Subject: Re: What if solar got the same amount of subisdies as fossil fuel does?
Written By: LyricBoy on 10/22/10 at 5:35 pm
Why subsidize ANY energy source? Subsidies distort the marketplace.
Besides the laws of physics make solar power a highly unlikely economical source.
If you want to subsidize anything, subsidize wind energy which is far closer to practicality. Even then all I would subsidize is R&D.
Any solar subsidies should be directed at R&D and not simply spending money to build hopelessly uneconomical present technology.
There us a cottage industry of flim flam investors who are cynically taking government solar subsidies for inefficient technology, just to scam the $.
Subject: Re: What if solar got the same amount of subisdies as fossil fuel does?
Written By: MaxwellSmart on 10/22/10 at 7:55 pm
Why subsidize ANY energy source? Subsidies distort the marketplace.
Sometimes the marketplace can't or won't provide what people need. Sometimes it can, sometimes it can't. When it can't or won't, you need subsidies.
I hope you're not bucking for a job with Exxon-Mobil with that attitude!
;D
Subject: Re: What if solar got the same amount of subisdies as fossil fuel does?
Written By: Foo Bar on 10/22/10 at 9:35 pm
Why subsidize ANY energy source? Subsidies distort the marketplace.
Agreed.
Besides the laws of physics make solar power a highly unlikely economical source.
Not necessarily. It's become increasingly viable for peak energy - in summer, you need maximum cooling during the day, and in winter, any source of heating is useful - but for baseline, you'll need something that isn't dependent on time-of-day (solar) or local weather patterns (wind). If you care about CO2, that leaves nuclear.
Baseline needs get even more serious if we start to seriously migrate from the internal combustion engine to plug-in hybrid (or all-electric) modes of transportation, because our cars will be recharging at home, and they'll be doing so at night.