Política energética, energias fósseis e renováveis e subsídios

On a Btu Basis, Renewable Subsidies are 49 Times Greater than Fossil Fuel Subsidies - Institute for Energy Research (IER)

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) recently performed two studies evaluating fossil fuel and renewable energy subsidies—one in April and one in May. From those studies, in 2009:

• Renewable energy subsidies were 49 times greater than fossil fuel subsidies when evaluated on a Btu (British thermal unit) basis of production. In other words, when making a comparison based on the amount of energy produced, renewable subsidies were 49 times greater than fossil fuel subsidies.
  
  
• On a straight amount-of-subsidy basis, renewable fuels received over 6 times more tax revenue dollars than fossil fuels received, as estimated by the Joint Tax Committee.
  
  
• Renewables received a 77 percent share of total federal energy incentives in 2009, while fossil fuels received a 13 percent share but produced more than 7 times the energy.

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CONCLUSION:

While renewable energy advocates do not want to admit it, renewables get the lion’s share of direct energy subsidies both on a total dollar basis and also when compared to the amount of energy produced. Fossil fuels garnered an estimated 13 percent of 2009 energy tax incentives, while renewable energy received 76 percent. Alcohol and biofuels subsidies received the largest share of renewable tax incentives in 2009. In 2010, total tax incentives were estimated to be 4 percent less than in 2009, but fossil fuels still only garnered an estimated 13 percent, while renewables totaled an estimated 68 percent. And, on a unit of production basis, renewable subsidies in 2009 were 49 times as great as fossil fuel subsidies.

The questions for policy makers are: “What market distortions are the subsidies trying to fix? Are the distortions mitigated or compounded by the subsidies? Are benefits being reaped?”

Naturalmente que a única política defensável e responsável é a eliminação de todo e qualquer subsídio à produção de energia, qualquer que seja a sua fonte primária.