Subsidies are financial incentives, usually paid by governments to encourage the production of something. There are many reasons that a particular product might be beneficial to the community, but not economically feasible to individuals and businesses. Many products are subsidized to support local businesses, reduce the amount of imported goods, provide employment and encourage environmentally friendly practices. The energy industries (coal, oil, nuclear, alternative) have always worked in an environment where subsidies have been used. In recent years the trend is to encourage renewable energy sources (such as solar, wind, biomass) at the expense of fossil fuels such as coal and oil. Alternative energy subsidies include Feed-in Tariffs and financial incentives to photovoltaics.
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