US Biofuel Subsidies To Cost Taxpayers 90+ Billion, 2006-2012

The Global Subsidies Initiative has updated its 2006 study of government support for ethanol and biodiesel in the United States. GSI estimates that “under existing policies,  the biofuels industry will, in aggregate, benefit from support worth over $92 billion within the 2006–2012 time frame.” Energy provisions in the FY 2007 Farm Bill would add billions more, as would enactment of either President Bush’s 20 in 10 program (mandating 35 billion gallons of biofuel in the nation’s motor fuel supply by 2017) or the Senate energy bill’s mandate of 36 billion gallons by 2022.

GSI’s 2006 study is available here. The 2007 update is available here. GSI’s press release announcing the updated study is reproduced below.