We also subsidize the coal and oil industries by not aggressively factoring the externalities they produce into their taxation.
Energy Source Subsidy per kwh Externalities per kwh
Coal $0.0006 ~$0.02
Natural Gas $0.0006 ~$0.01
Nuclear $0.0031 (unspecified)
Renewables $0.0154 (unspecified)
Biomass Power $0.0020 (unspecified)
Geothermal $0.0125 (unspecified)
Hydroelectric $0.0008 (unspecified)
Solar $0.9680 (unspecified)
Wind $0.0525 (unspecified)
http://environmentblog.ncpa.org/which-energy-source-receives...Each of these externalities, in turn, has consequences of their own -- fewer tourists, increased cost-of-living from bottled watter, higher medical bills from persistent lung and throat disorders. If harm to individuals isn't compelling, consider the danger of a polluted water table to predominantly agricultural areas.
The NCPA doesn't consider these realities in their flat estimation and, based on their sources of funding, are not likely to in the near future [1].
[1]: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2009/jul/01/exxon-mo...