IT'S OFFICIAL - THE SUBSIDIES GO TO DIRTY ENERGY

How much does the U.S. subsidize clean and dirty energy?
Dylan Matthews, August 4, 2010 (Washington Post)

"The Environmental Law Institute did a [2009] study…tallying up how much the U.S. spent, either in grants and direct spending or tax subsidies and foregone revenue, to support fossil fuels and renewable energy from fiscal years 2002 to 2008. The results weren't particularly surprising; fossil fuels receive more, and most renewable energy money goes to corn ethanol, which is of questionable value in fighting climate change…"

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"The data is distressing at a global level as well. A new Bloomberg New Energy Finance study finds that all the world's governments spent $557 billion to subsidize fossil fuels in 2008, while spending only $43-46 billion to subsidize clean energy. The U.S. and Europe made up most of the latter figure, with Europe's "feed-in tariffs", which require utilities to buy clean energy and are considered one of the more effective means of spurring renewable energy investment, making up most of its share."