Cleantech subsidies are a minuscule fraction of one percent of the fossil-fuel subsidy amounts referred to.

Judged as of 2014-01-14. The claim compares U.S. cleantech subsidies with a figure of $502 billion in fossil-fuel subsidies (a widely cited global estimate, e.g. from the IEA or IMF). True: credible figures show annual cleantech or renewable subsidies were far below 1% of $502 billion, i.e. well under about $5 billion. Mostly true: cleantech subsidies were under 1% of the total, but not a 'minuscule fraction' of 1%. Mixed: the result depends heavily on the definitions or bases used for the comparison. Mostly false: cleantech subsidies were above 1% of the stated amount, e.g. US renewable subsidies of about $10-15 billion a year (EIA). The claim then rests on a real gap but overstates it, or compares mismatched bases (US versus global). False: cleantech subsidies were comparable to or larger than the stated fossil-fuel subsidy amount.

Set before the research began.

1. E1 Total energy subsidies decline since 2010, with changes in support across fuel types - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) · 13 March 2015

   “Wind subsidies increased by less than 10%, going from $5.5 billion in 2010 to $5.9 billion in 2013.”

2. E2 Total energy subsidies decline since 2010, with changes in support across fuel types - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) · 13 March 2015

   “However, solar subsidies increased the most, both in absolute and percentage terms, going from $1.1 billion to $5.3 billion in 2013, with declining solar costs and state-level policies also supporting additional growth.”

3. E3 Total energy subsidies decline since 2010, with changes in support across fuel types - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) · 13 March 2015

   “Between FY 2010 and FY 2013, the total value of direct federal financial interventions and subsidies in energy markets decreased 23% from $38.0 billion to $29.3 billion dollars, reflecting changes in both the type of subsidies offered and fuels that received support.”

4. E4 Total energy subsidies decline since 2010, with changes in support across fuel types - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) · 13 March 2015

   “Federal subsidy support for fossil fuels declined from almost $4 billion in FY 2010 to $3.4 billion in FY 2013.”

EIA puts U.S. federal wind subsidies at $5.9 billion in FY2013 (E1) and solar subsidies at $5.3 billion (E2). Together that is about $11.2 billion, roughly 2.2% of $502 billion. That is above 1%, not a tiny fraction of 1%. EIA puts U.S. federal fossil-fuel subsidies at $3.4 billion in FY2013 (E4), a U.S. figure rather than the global $502 billion estimate the criteria use for the comparison. The criteria call that comparing mismatched bases, and they put renewable subsidies of about $10–15 billion a year in the mostly-false range.