Posted by Tina
A report on the economic viability of wind energy in Spain has been under attack in recent days. The report seems to refute claims made by President Obama regarding jobs that wind energy would generate as well as the economic viability of the wind energy alternative to coal and oil based products.
The following is an excerpt from the report’s summary:
Europe’s current policy and strategy for supporting the so-called “green jobs” or renewable energy dates back to 1997, and has become one of the principal justifications for U.S. “green jobs” proposals. Yet an examination of Europe’s experience reveals these policies to be terribly economically counterproductive. This study is important for several reasons. First is that the Spanish experience is
considered a leading example to be followed by many policy advocates and politicians. This study marks the very first time a critical analysis of the actual performance and impact has been made. Most important, it demonstrates that the Spanish/EU-style “green jobs” agenda now being promoted in the U.S. in fact destroys jobs, detailing this in terms of jobs destroyed per job created and the net destruction per installed MW.
The report is damaging enough but evidence, discovered through the Freedom of Information Act, suggests that the Obama administration, through the Department of Energy, enlisted George Soros and green activist organizations to attack and/or cover up the results of the study and push Obama’s green policies. As reported by Pajamas Media today:
After two studies refuted President Barack Obama’s assertions regarding the success of Spain’s and Denmark’s wind energy programs, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request reveals the Department of Energy turned to George Soros and to wind industry lobbyists to attack the studies. ** Via the FOIA request, the Competitive Enterprise Institute has learned that the Department of Energy — specifically the office headed by Al Gore’s company’s former CEO, Cathy Zoi — turned to George Soros’ Center for American Progress and other wind industry lobbyists to help push Obama’s wind energy proposals. ** The FOIA request was not entirely complied with, and CEI just filed an appeal over documents still being withheld. In addition to withholding many internal communications, the administration is withholding communications with these lobbyists and other related communications, claiming they constitute “inter-agency memoranda.” This implies that, according to the DoE, wind industry lobbyists and Soros’s Center for American Progress are — for legal purposes — extensions of the government.
This is the kind of thing that makes most Americans really angry. We want our legislators to be honest and forthright. We want to be able to trust the word of scienists and economic advisors. The only way to keep them honest is to keep our eyes on them and expose their shenanigans and failures. Stay tuned for further developments; for now, I advise reading the report for yourself rather than relying on me or anyone else to tell you what it says. Here’s the link again, in case you missed it: