How is renewable energy good for the economy?

Question

Can renewable energy truly be good for the economy, and how so?

Answer 1

Right now the answer is that it is bad for the economy.  The only renewable source of energy that is economically viable is hydroelectric and all of the other "green energy" schemes rely heavily on government subsidies.  Subsidies for any industry are economically destructive because they confiscate wealth from citizens and use it to reward inefficiency.

Answer 2

Renewable energy is good for the economy because it

a) creates jobs 'green collar' jobs for local people

b) reduces reliance on foreign fossil fuels

c) makes you less dependent on the power companies

d) means less money spent cleaning up the environment and health problems associated with pollution

Answer 3

Cos loads of charlatans are jumping on the bandwagon. You don't think the planet's bothered, do you? It will just readjust itself and start over.

Answer 4

No it's not good for the economy, that's why we won't see it anytime soon, or maybe ever. The technology exists, and has for YEARS.

Answer 5

Renewable energy can be good once we have a storage system to store the sun's, wind's, etc's energy and use it when we need it.

It is good for the economy because it is getting more and more expensive to dig up conventionals.

Answer 6

Ummm.... because oil is $115 a barrel and climbing?

Eventually we will run out and we better have a plan ready before then or we are sunk.

People talk about how green energy is all subsidized - well so is oil production, a lot more actually. Remember Hurricane Katrina? There were still old people clinging to rooftops when Bush bailed out the oil companies.

Don't believe everything you hear about how bad green energy is for the economy. Ask who has a vested interest in the status quo. Do you think the oil companies want to give up the stranglehold on the market? Of course not.

Is it smart to be so reliant on foreign oil reserves? As Dr. Phil would say, "How is that working out for you?". Do you think that America might have made, well, other choices about Iraq if you did not need oil?

Renewable energy is good for your own pocketbook too. Are you that determined to spend your money?

There are certainly some people out there with impractical ideas about green energy - but there is a lot of good, scientifically sound stuff too.