Next, make the fossil fuel industry stop polluting or pay the full cost of the damages it causes. One study calculated the damage to the environment caused by a new coal station in New York State would cost the economy twice as much as actually building and running the plant. At three times the price, coal fired electricity doesn't look so cheap after all. Beyond removing fossil fuel subsidies and making that industry stop polluting or pay, governments need to actively support the fledging clean energy industry. Driven by national security concerns, one-time infant aerospace and computer industries were built into giants by government military and space programs.
Clean energy is certainly no less deserving.
Solar PV is an example of a promising technology that can benefit from such government support. These solar panels are now being integrated into roofing materials, walls, and windows in order to generate electricity for the building. This country's 105 million buildings represent around 10 percent of world energy consumption and provide an enormous potential market for pollution-free power. Currently, however, while the PV industry is growing rapidly its market remains small. Fortunately, there is a solution.