How Could We Spend $600 Billion?

The Energy Research We Could Do with the Money Spent on Iraq

April 29, 2008

According to the Congressional Research Service, the federal government has so far given approximately $600 billion dollars toward operations in Iraq.

What if that money was spent on research into energy efficiency and renewable energy instead of a failed strategy in Iraq?

Renewable Energy Research and Development

$225 million: Amount of money allocated to biofuel research and development in the president's fiscal year 2009 budget.
$156 million: Amount of money allocated to solar energy research and development in the president's fiscal year 2009 budget.
$53 million: Amount of money allocated to wind energy research and development in the president's fiscal year 2009 budget.
$30 million: Amount of money allocated to geothermal energy research and development in the president's fiscal year 2009 budget.

1293 years: The number of years that all four of these research and development programs could be funded at those levels with the money spent so far on operations in Iraq.

The Environmental Protection Agency

$7.1 billion: Total amount allocated to the Environmental Protection Agency in the president's fiscal year 2009 budget.

84.5 years: The number of years that the EPA could be funded at this level with the money spent so far on operations in Iraq.

Climate Protection

$939 million: The amount allocated for the EPA to spend on clean air and climate change programs in the presiden't 2009 budget.

$98.3 million: The amount allocated for the EPA to spend on climate protection programs in the presiden't 2009 budget.

578.4 times: Numer of times over these budgets could be funded with the money spent so far on operations in Iraq.