Does green power cost more than conventional energy?
Although it isn’t apparent to the average consumer, the full cost of green power is actually lower than that of conventional energy. This is because the actual cost of high-impact conventional electricity is not fully reflected in its pricing. Unaccounted for costs include environmental impacts such as ground water pollution and smog, health costs related to poor air quality, and waste management and disposal costs. The direct cost of green power may be slightly higher for the consumer than conventional power for a number of reasons: • Conventional energy producers benefit from greater subsidies than do renewable energy producers: According to the Conference Board of Canada, in 2001, 93.5% of energy subsidies went to fossil and nuclear, while only 7.2% went to renewables. • In Canada the industry is still in the early phases and has not yet experienced enough growth for economies of scale to take effect (this is, however, quickly changing). • There are start-up infrastructure costs wit
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