Tax Effects of Free Energy: When States can be Great Enemies of the Energy Revolution (Ricardo Grasselli)

The following post has been submitted by Ricardo Grasselli

I have been following E-Cat World since years and I think that an important question about the upcoming energy revolution has not been underlined, yet: What will be effects of free energy (both electricity and heat) from a tax standpoint?

I know that most readers of this website are Americans, and maybe for them is not usual to think in this way, but for a European (I’m Italian) this matter is crucial.

Even if for some readers this will be incredible to believe in countries with high taxes and European-like welfare, taxes are usually imposed on the production, distribution and final use of electricity, heating oil, petrol, gasoline, centralized house warming . . . everything!!

In countries almost bankrupt like Italy and Greece the sheer amount of direct and indirect taxes on fuels and electricity reach almost a peak of 2/3 of the customer total bill. For this reason many people like me are actually waiting for the e-cat revolution not just for pollution or to cut a little bit of expenses . . . but actually to go off the grid and avoid being literally squeezed like oranges.

Again: I know that for some this will sound incredible but here in Italy just the possession of an electricity line is used (from this very year on) to make people pay for a tax on television (yes, on television) to finance the idiotic public state channels and useless events like the Sanremo Festival).

I perfectly know that on the long term the benefits of ‘free’ energy will improve the economy of many states (and in particular “economic transformation” countries like Italy) and this will bring benefits even for the states through income taxes . . . but don’t underestimate the governments: for the new European Union ruling the balance of the public finance of the affiliated states is of paramount importance and they’re not willing to dismiss this consolidated way to harvest money.

I’m pretty sure that they will.

Ricardo Grasselli