MYTH VS. REALITY

Question: Does renewable energy get more subsidies than the fossil-fuel industries? Answer: The U.S. Energy Information Administration compared subsidies in 2010. In that year, coal got about $1.4 billion in direct subsidies, mostly in tax incentives and for research. The natural-gas and petroleum industries got $2.82 billion, almost all in tax incentives. Solar got $1.13 billion and wind got $4.99 billion, most of it tied to the federal stimulus act. A longer study by the Environmental Law Institute on government subsidies from 2002 to 2008 found that the fossil-fuel industries got $72 billion while renewable subsidies received $29 billion. About half of the renewable subsidies were for corn-based ethanol. Q: Can solar and wind replace coal and nuclear power? A: Not entirely. Coal, nuclear and some natural-gas power plants are considered “base load” plants, running 24 hours a day to meet electricity demand as people need it. Others, mostly natural-gas plants that can start up quickly, are run intermittently and are called “intermediate load” plants. Still others kick on only when power demand is highest. Renewable-energy sources can displace some of the intermediate and peaking power plants. But because they are variable, they can’t replace 100 percent of base-load power. would be less likely to vote for a candidate who voted to end the solarpower program in Arizona. That number fell to 60 percent among Republicans only.