| The slogan for today's consumer is "Go Green." | | | | average person to outlay a huge sum of cash in |
| As it seems that the up and coming technologies | | | | the hopes that the investment will pay for itself |
| are almost all based on ideal touted as being | | | | many years in the future. Not many people have |
| "eco-friendly," the consumer must make a choice | | | | that kind of disposable income. |
| as to whether the benefit is worth the added | | | | Market executives, scientists and developers of |
| money. | | | | green energy sources and technology have |
| The cost of a certain popular base model hybrid | | | | recognized this as a legitimate problem in getting |
| SUV is around $28,850, minus the $750 federal | | | | the green energy movement off the ground. It |
| tax credit the purchase price is still $29,110. While | | | | has finally been realized that the only way to |
| the government tax credit sounds great it still | | | | make green energy popular is to make it cost the |
| passes on an extra $8,000 in cost to the | | | | same as conventional sources. |
| consumer as opposed to buying the same model | | | | Is the answer more government intervention? It |
| SUV with a standard gasoline engine. | | | | would seems that the US government has |
| The hybrid SUV is rated for an estimated 42 | | | | decided to take a vested interest in the problem |
| miles per gallon, while the standard version only | | | | since recently President Barack Obama promised |
| gets around 24 miles to the gallon. This translates | | | | $2.3 billion in federal subsidies to green energy |
| to the hybrid driver getting around 120 extra | | | | developers in an effort to allow the development |
| miles per tank of gasoline, and with the price per | | | | of better and more cost effective energy |
| gallon of gasoline hovering around $2.75 it | | | | sources. |
| translates to around $10.30 saved on every 15 | | | | In many other countries these subsidies have |
| gallon tank of fuel used. | | | | helped to jump-start the development and |
| That really sounds like an astounding amount of | | | | distribution of green energy sources. In Germany, |
| savings and a great buying incentive, but a bit of | | | | for example, the government has subsidized |
| simple math shows that the hybrid driver would | | | | green energy sources in the form of feed-in |
| need to consume about 776 tanks of gas, or | | | | tariffs which allow the producers of green energy |
| around 372,000 miles of driving just to break | | | | to sell the energy produced at above market |
| even on the original extra purchase price of the | | | | prices. This has led to Germany having more solar |
| hybrid. | | | | panels in use than any other country on earth. |
| This kind of cost benefit ratio isn't limited just to | | | | These subsidies may assist in getting movement |
| the purchase of alternative fuel vehicles. A close | | | | toward green energy started, but the truth is |
| investigation of nearly all the present green | | | | that the only way to make green energy |
| technology, from electric cars to solar homes | | | | attractive to the masses of to make it at least |
| illustrates the same kind of debacle. Many times | | | | as cheap as conventional energy sources. Until |
| the original added cost of green technology | | | | that happens, the dream of green energy |
| prohibits its widespread usage. | | | | becoming a cornerstone of energy production |
| In today's economy it simply isn't practical for the | | | | might remain just a dream. |