Are Green Projects Actually Creative Or Just Subsidized?

The Town of Oak Island is rushing into the “green” business with algae.

Oak Island’s Green Initiative Advisory Board recently engineered a partnership between the town and a local scientist to begin the process of creating a green energy business park. . . the council unanimously approved the committee’s recommendation to work with algae farm owner and scientist Kim Jones to create Sustainable Mariculture and Renewable Technologies, or SMART, at the town’s Bill Smith Park on Fish Factory Road.

But here’s more about Jones:

Jones has several state and local grants to put in solar panels and wind turbines. A master of business administration student from N.C. State University is now preparing a business plan for SMART, which will consist of a variety of green energy demonstrations and other green businesses, Jones said.

The piece (here at the StarNews) is interesting, but MISSING many important facts.  First, it never mentions how many tax dollars went into ANY of the “green” subsidies which leads folks to believe it was just free money or had no cost.  It also negates to discuss the actual return on investment. The key to efficiency is always cost versus use.  Many green projects NEVER have a return on investment and that’s the problem.  As long as they are subsidized with taxpayer money it’s technically cheaper to not be green.  Here’s hoping that Oak Island will take a look at actual green cost (taxpayer dollars) versus the “green” promises.