Washington subsidies not helping the wind industry

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Last week the lobbying arm of the wind energy industry made an unsurprising, though somewhat embarrassing, announcement. It wants a longer lifeline with federal subsidies. So much for wind being the low-cost energy source of the future. 

Less than a year ago, the American Wind Energy Association had with great fanfare issued a press statement that as Bloomberg reported: “America’s wind farms are ready to go it alone.” Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, a Republican who has strongly supported the wind industry since the days of federal support began in 1992, boasted that the wind industry has finally “matured” and that wind farms were “ready to compete.”

Never mind.

Big Wind’s change of heart was predictable because when this tax giveaway — which basically requires taxpayers to underwrite 30 percent of the cost of wind energy production — was first enacted, the renewable energy lobby promised that it would lift itself out of the federal wheelchair and walk on its own within five years. But like clockwork, every five years they have come back to Congress pleading for an extension — much like Oliver with his porridge bowl asking: “Please, sir, could I have some more.”
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/oct/18/washington-subsidies-not-helping-the-wind-industry/

from article: Subsidies can be as addictive as heroin.

[Joe Wooten]

Wind and solar will never be competitive without massive subsidies from Uncle Sam. Never.

[kidd]

Agreed. Both are best suited for specialty applications.
Even with significant improvements in their technology, both require a reliable base source of power as a backup or some mode of stored energy, both of which add to their cost.

[PeteS in CA]

Subsidies lock users and producers into technologies that cannot be economically viable. In the medium and long term the best thing that can be done for the nation is to drop all wind and solar subsidies and mandatory buying percentages imposed on utilities.

[sneakypete]

I haven't read this yet,but I am going to go out on a limb and say their claim all they need is more money.

[OfTheCross]

The government subsidizes darn near every major sector. Is there a database where we can see how much each industry gets?

[Bigun]

Wind and solar will never be competitive without massive subsidies from Uncle Sam. Never.

      Couldn't have said it any better myself.

[Bigun]

Subsidies lock users and producers into technologies that cannot be economically viable. In the medium and long term the best thing that can be done for the nation is to drop all wind and solar subsidies and mandatory buying percentages imposed on utilities.

 

[sneakypete]

Subsidies lock users and producers into technologies that cannot be economically viable. In the medium and long term the best thing that can be done for the nation is to drop all wind and solar subsidies and mandatory buying percentages imposed on utilities.

@PeteS in CA

True,but the "connected people" are making too much money out of it to allow that to happen. In the last year some solar power company actually bought up a golf course to turn it into a wind farm,and you can bet your bippy that purchase and the construction were subsidized.

Best of all,from their viewpoint,even when/if the solar farm is shut down due to being unproductive,they will still own all that prime property and can sell it,or even turn it back into a golf course again.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

The government subsidizes darn near every major sector. Is there a database where we can see how much each industry gets?

A better database would be which private companies or individuals get that govt money.

Always, always follow the money.

[truth_seeker]

The government subsidizes darn near every major sector. Is there a database where we can see how much each industry gets?

Just because a "sector" gets subsidies in your words, is not a justification for same.
Why not admit that you are not an accountant, or energy expert, but instead you are just repeating what you find on leftist sources.

@OfTheCross

[OfTheCross]

Just because a "sector" gets subsidies in your words, is not a justification for same.
Why not admit that you are not an accountant, or energy expert, but instead you are just repeating what you find on leftist sources.

@OfTheCross

I'm just asking for information.

[Joe Wooten]

Admittedly from 12 years ago, but still relevant for the relative scale of power subsidies.

https://www.powermag.com/chart-a-new-course/

[thackney]

https://spectrum.ieee.org/energywise/energy/policy/how-much-does-the-us-government-subsidize-electricity-generating-technologies

All in, electricity technologies receive financial support worth $3–5/MWh. That works out to $30 to $60 per capita.

[sneakypete]

You would think with all the hot wind blowing during the workups to the 2020 elections that wind-powered electrical plants would be blooming.