We don’t pay the full cost of energy generated from non-renewable sources when we pay our electric bills. The difference between what we are charged, and the full cost is covered through increased taxes and accepting environmental damage as a cost of living. Various estimates place the full cost of energy from non-renewable sources at three times what we are billed.
Artificially low energy prices coupled with increasing taxes and accepting environmental damage do not provide strong incentives for consumers to conserve electricity or for manufacturers to provide energy conserving technologies.
Environmental damage and loss of habitat on sites developed for fossil fuel extraction
Adverse effects of oil spills and sour gas leaks
Acidic rain
Formation of co2 that contributes to global warming
Photochemical smog
Military presence in the Middle East
Government subsidies to power companies
Wasteful use of energy
Energy costs from a new coal power plant are $0.035 - $0.04 /kWhr, but coal-mine dust kills 2000 US mine workers yearly. Since 1973 the US federal black lung-disease benefits program has cost $35 billion. Coal emissions also cause acid deposition, smog, visibility degradation, and global warming: its particulates increase asthma, respiratory and cardiovascular disease, and mortality.
Health and environmental costs bring the total costs of generating electricity using a new coal plant to $0.055 - 0.083 / kWhr. Until we fully understand that our electric utility rates are low because they are subsidized by general revenue from governments, and because they do not compensate for the environmental damage resulting from the supply of electricity from non-renewable sources, we can expect taxes to remain high and environmental deterioration to continue.
For more information on specific types of renewable energies
click links on right side of the screen…