Do you think that when we finally switch over?

Question

do you think that when we finaly switch over from relying on fossil fuels to more econonmic and green sources of energy the economies of the world will collapse? or will we be forced to pay tax and v.a.t. on wind and sun and the oceans?

Answer 1

vote tory

Answer 2

your british or you wouldn't have mentioned v.a.t.

gordon brown is a pu.ssy.

anyone who votes this facist government in again deserves all they get.

tax.tax.tax.this is all you will get if you vote labour again..its up to you...

Answer 3

Of course it will be taxed.

The government needs to make up the revenue it has lost through the smoking ban leading to lower tobacco and alcohol sales!

Answer 4

What ever form of energy you use, it will not be free, and there will also be taxes on it.

Answer 5

No the economies of the world will not collapse.  It will mean that oil reserves do not command such global power as they do now and the industries which create the technology for us to harvest solar, wind and tidal power will enjoy a healthy future.  As always you will have to pay for the energy you consume but this is not simply tax (vat is just another tax).  Users of energy do and will continue to have to pay for someone else to do the job of harvesting the energy from whatever source, converting it into a form useable by you and then getting the energy to you when you want it.  You dont get owt for nowt and why should you.  At least with less reliance on natural oil reserves there may be less reason to engage in war to ensure a source of energy.  Basically in the future energy supply industries, many new jobs will be created and just like now you will have to contribute to the economy by paying for the products you wish to consume.  It is stupid to blame the government for any of this.

Answer 6

Wow - a lot of really uneducated answers to this question so far.  (Note:  I didn't say ALL of them, just that there were a lot.)

I think a safe assumption would be that as utility companies begin to harvest the more sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels, and direct that energy to your home (much as they do now with the energy directed from fossil fuels) then yes, they will charge as they see appropriate.  After all, that's how people make money.

The way to avoid this would be to purchase the equipment to make your home independent from the power grid.  Solar is the most popular choice for homeowners, although there are other options.  There are even battery backups now so that additional energy that is created can be stored for use at a later date.  In fact, here in the U.S., there are even some programs that are being utilized where if you provide more energy than you consume for your home, you can sell it back to the power company (if you are still connected to the grid) for credit towards our account (in case of later charges because of lack of power).  In fact, I believe my local power plant, Kansas City Power and Light, utilizes this program.

To answer your question, yes, people are always going to find a way to charge for the energy you use, whether you're being charged for the equipment to transfer those natural elements into energy used to power your home, or whether you're paying for another company to do it for you.  After all, that's how capitalism works.

Answer 7

The other economies will have to change too.

The Saudis have for many years talked of building solar farms and selling the energy to neighbors or beaming it to other parts of the world.

Russia is using their oil revenue to diversify their economy knowing oil and gas are short term incomes.

The US grows vast amounts of corn for ethanol but doesn't know what to do with it in the US so they sell it to Brazil.

The world will survive and economies will change but life will go on.

Answer 8

The only switch that is possible is to Nuclear. The only renewable, so called, that is reliable is tidal due to the tide being twice a day. Hydro relies on rainfall and can thus run out and wind is so unreliable that the windmills that are ruining the landscape are never likely to repay their initial carbon footprint let alone supply reliable energy. I reckon that fossil fuels will be needed for the next 100 years unless the greenies stop harping on about Nuclear.

As for tax well, you don't think that Robber Brown and the Labour party will give up any revenue making scam do you? For one they are happily paying billions to Brussels for nothing billions that could either lower our tax burden or make public services better, however as the gravy train is for politicians and they want to s***w us for as much as possible (take the last MP's pay debacle) we are stuck with the criminal and fraudulent EU until the next civil war.

Answer 9

If you buy energy from the companies that produce it you'll be paying for it pretty much as you are now regardless of how it's produced.

If you produce your own energy you shouldn't be paying Govt for it, only the costs of installing the equipment. Many do this already. And you can sell surplus energy to power companies to feed into the national grid.

And you might get tax breaks and incentives to move over to alternative energy sources.

No the economies of the world won't collapse.

But they might if we reached the point where oil reserves were severly depleted and we hadn't thought ahead about what we'd use to relace oil with though.

This could happen in the second half of this century, from oil industry figures about the amount of reserves left.

Answer 10

probably...they tax everything else...

im gonna start using my own home made wind...lets see them tax that...lol

Answer 11

Windmill farms are popping up all over the USA, a few dorks try to oppose them, try living next to a coal or nuke plant.

What else can any government do other than tax ?  Of course they F@%K that up to, just like every thing they touch.

The Constitution was not only to protect our rights, but to protect us from the government.

Looks like it's time for a new tea party.

Answer 12

I believe that the costs of transportation will rise, that is for vehicles that are not continuously connected to the electric grid, since alternative fuels sources are going to stay more expensive than fuels made of crude oil. I also believe those governments, who do not tax gas for cars, will start doing so.

On the other hand, non fossil fuel sources of electricity are cheaper, and we might see a tendency for electricity costs to drop.

that will cause some serious changes in the world economy, and force us to change our habits, and even our culture, which is now very much dependent on inexpensive transportation using our own cars.

Answer 13

they can't tax nature lol ,free energy should be available to all , If we are going to save the world from global warming we should do some drastic things and start doing something positive ,the world leaders have to tackle problems now before they get worse,I don't want to say goodbye to so many things and neither does any one else

Answer 14

People in Edinburgh ( in  past history ) had to pay tax on daylight coming in through thier windows. You could tell if you had a poor or tight fisted neighbour, as windows were bricked up to save paying tax.  ( You can still see bricked up windows to this very day in the New Town)  The answer  to the question, could we be forced to pay tax on the sun,  is almost a guarenteed  yes. It would not surprise me if  one day we have  to pay tax for self generated electricity produced from  solar panels on our roofs.

Answer 15

I doubt that we will be around when that day comes !

Answer 16

i don't really understand tax and vat because im an idiot, but i suppose you mean like in cars if they're solar powered or something? well you already pay road tax and stuff so surely it would be on that. tax pays for things dosn't it? like the police... hmmm. i really don't understand it but don't you get taxed on how much you earn and stuff. and petrol, it's how much you use obviously. we'll still have to pay for energy if it's from a wind farm or something. because they cost alot to build. the economy sems like it will be messed up again soon, with all the share prices falling and stuff. or is that a different thing alltogether?