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Permalink Reply by Pipeliner on May 14, 2009 at 3:21

Looks like there is bigger and better "Green" tax breaks in the U.S. Than in the U.K.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/nov/07/bp-renewable-energy-...

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Permalink Reply by Grillin' - MmmMmm on May 14, 2009 at 6:41

What a load of crappola! Reading through the article, it is apparent that the author has no freaking common sense and only wants to bash big companies.

In his article, he estimates that the companies would spend $2 billion dollars and get tax credits and other breaks totalling $1 billion (roughly). Guess what? They are still in the hole for $1 billion! But that's not what this goofball cares about...just wants to bash a company a) creating jobs in the U.S. and b) generating green renewable energy!

Why is it that a lot of poorly informed people have such a problem with big oil and gas companies getting a tax break? Do you not realize that in the end, companies DO NOT PAY TAXES...YOU DO! They pass these taxes along to the ultimate consumer. Raise their taxes and they just stop spending money or raise their prices! That's how it works. The U.S. has one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world. And people wonder why companies establish headquarters in other parts of the world, build factories elsewhere, etc. The MLP business is set up strictly to avoid corporate taxes! Companies like Linn Energy, Kinder Morgan MLP, Enterprise Products, etc. pass on their profits without taxation and the individual shareholders pay the taxes.

How about doing away with all corporate taxes!

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Permalink Reply by Grillin' - MmmMmm on May 14, 2009 at 12:21

Agree on the nothing in common. That was more to the point about why we should do away with ALL corporate taxes.

BP's taxation in the US is fairly complex but the author tried to make it look like they are shielding their income from taxes by using the credits. All they are doing is recouping roughly 1/2 the capital they are investing, leaving them with a significant loss on the investment after taxes!

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Permalink Reply by Pipeliner on May 15, 2009 at 7:21

Abandoned Oil Rig Converted for Wind Turbine


(images via ecogeek; scottlondon)
Now this is expanding the definitional categories a little as oil that is removed from under the ocean floor is not exactly renewable, but when you put a wind turbine atop an abandoned offshore oil platform, it changes everything. A company called SeaEnergy Renewables is leading the charge to mount turbines atop oil oil rigs. The 5.5 mw turbine pictured above is part of the company’s demonstration platform off the coast of Scottland (platform not pictured).

For full article and photos:
http://webecoist.com/2009/05/04/10-abandoned-renewable-energy-plants/


This makes more sense that paying to remove the old oil platforms. This would turn what is now waste into something productive. These platforms, in the Gulf of Mexico, would be far enough out from shore so no one can see them.

Perhaps a group of old platforms could be connected together, with only a single electric transmission line needed to be laid to shore.

Here is their website:

http://www.seaenergyrenewables.com/

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