jamesgangnc wrote:

Nothing wrong with the government subsidizing renewable. Economies of
scale will reduce the costs and at the same time the costs of non-
renewable fuels will continue to rise. At some point the scale tips
and the renewables become cheaper. Until then the government
accelerates the growth with subsidies. Just makes the inevitable
happen a few years sooner.

Uh, there are many things wrong with a government subsidizing anything. I
don't have much problem with research grants, but subsidizing production is
an outrage. Poor Mexicans are almost starving because the cost of tortillas
is almost prohibitive, thanks to our ethanol subsidies!

You said: "... the costs of non-renewable fuels will continue to rise." Er,
no. The cost of natural gas has dropped from ~$6.50 per 1000 cu ft in 2007
to about $4.00 today. In 2008, USA bituminous coal sold for a high of
$175/ton. Today it is $75/ton.

Oil, and its derivative, gasoline is still pretty high (although it gasoline
is cheaper today than it was during the Carther administration), but oil is
used primarily for transportation - and chemicals. "Renewables" are not
involved in transportation, with the exception of corn which I've already
dissed (poor Messicans).