Subsidising Energy With Your Taxes

[beso]

A while back Old Geezer commented that he objected to tax revenue being spent on subsidising solar energy

Well the truth is that the UK government subsidises fossil fuels over 300 times as much as they do for renewable energy.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/feb/10/uk-spent-300-times-more-fossil-fuel-clean-energy-despite-green-pledge

How do you feel about this imbalance? Shouldn't a long established industry be able to operate without subsidies?

[Old_Geezer]

Interesting. What was the fossil fuel subsidy used for ? To make it greener/cleaner to meet new regulations that were not applied before, or to line investors pockets, or something else ?

I think there is a difference between keeping an industry going which provides jobs, and which competes with other countries who can produce energy from fossil fuels who may have different standards than here, compared to giving it to individuals for personal gain. But an industry that needs such support should be publicly owned.

[beso]

I don't know in UK but in Australia the mining industry is exempted from the tax on diesel fuel.

The renewable energy industry creates far more jobs than the fossil fuel industry.

[beso]

Fossil fuel subsidies definitely line investors pockets by providing an unfair advantage to dirty industries.

[scowie]

Errr no, they subsidise renewables more. That article is about overseas projects only. Here in the UK wind farms alone get £1.8b per year: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/energy/windpower/11224262/Wind-farm-owners-get-115000-subsidy-for-UK-every-job-they-create.html