More and more companies have begun to consume less energy by

[aditya8062]

More and more companies have begun to consume less energy by making themselves more efficient. Over time, these efforts could place the United States at the forefront of an emerging global market for cleaner technologies. Such efforts are also essential to tackling the two big energy-related issues of the age: global warming and the dependence on precarious supplies of oil. The federal government should encourage these efforts by providing the necessary incentives, whether as loans, direct grants or targeted tax breaks.

Which of the following, if true, provides the most effective support for the argument?

A: On the average, Canadian companies are more energy efficient than those in the United States.
B: Experts believe that energy efficiency could lower the energy use of the United States to the level of 1995.
C: In the past, government incentives have made advances in energy conservation feasible, especially in the auto industry.
D: The dependence on foreign oil is a greater problem in the present than global warming.
E: The market for cleaner technologies is currently relatively small because of the infrastructure requirements.

i am somehow not able to reconcile option C and E
i believe if we are taking C as an answer then we are making an assumption that what applied to "auto industry" will also apply to "industry" in general .there cud be a situation where in "auto industry" was in perfect shape as in it responded well or in positive manner to the changes ,industry in general might not respond in such a manner

also i feel that E ,on the hand ,can be a good answer for if we know that the impediment for the market of cleaner tech is lack of infrastructure then providing tax breaks or loans will definitely help us to improve the situation

can some instructor plz guide me through this
thanks and regards

[GMATGuruNY]

More and more companies have begun to consume less energy by making themselves more efficient. Over time, these efforts could place the United States at the forefront of an emerging global market for cleaner technologies. Such efforts are also essential to tackling the two big energy-related issues of the age: global warming and the dependence on precarious supplies of oil. The federal government should encourage these efforts by providing the necessary incentives, whether as loans, direct grants or targeted tax breaks.

Which of the following, if true, provides the most effective support for the argument?

A: On the average, Canadian companies are more energy efficient than those in the United States.
B: Experts believe that energy efficiency could lower the energy use of the United States to the level of 1995.
C: In the past, government incentives have made advances in energy conservation feasible, especially in the auto industry.
D: The dependence on foreign oil is a greater problem in the present than global warming.
E: The market for cleaner technologies is currently relatively small because of the infrastructure requirements.

The ASSUMPTION is that there is a link between GOVERNMENT INCENTIVES and EFFORTS TO CONSUME LESS ENERGY BY BECOMING MORE EFFICIENT.
If this link is not valid -- if government incentives do NOT lead to greater energy efficiency -- then the argument cannot conclude that the government should be providing the necessary incentives.

Only answer choice C strengthens the link above:
In the past, government incentives have made advances in energy conservation feasible, especially in the auto industry.

The correct answer is C.

Answer choice E indicates a problem -- the lack of infrastructure -- but it does not support the assumption that government incentives will help to solve this problem.