I don’t think the post was to deep dive into all the secondary and the tertiary effects of energy policy, but to rebut the knee-jerk reaction that renewables uniquiely only survive with govt incentives. In addition to the obvious tax benefits enjoyed by OG (and many other industries in the crony-capitalist economy), we have to look at these industries at their maturity levels.
Taxpayers will pay more for kids and the very elderly than for a 40-something, because in part the nature of their age and circumstances. In early OG development look at the likely trillions of dollars of tax funded infrastructure to enable the auto & gasoline -industries early launch. We built roads, gave favorable tax treatment, toppled democratically elected 3rd world leaders, etc.
In the end, it all gave a subset of the American people what they wanted — in turn a transition to post-petroleum economy will take a huge multi-decade investment - and it too will give a subset of Americans what they are asking for now. We live in a mixed market/govt reality and have since at least the civil war and the building of the railroads. It’s how shit gets done. Sorry if this shit isn‘t a person’s preferred shit - life ain’t perfect.
I for one look forward to a 5th/6th gen nuclear powered electric/hydrogen economy. Only 3rd world countries will remain on coal-based energy systems. Weird that the American first crowd wants us to be the technology laggards and leave to the Chinese and the Europeans the next wave economy.