The Ill Wind of Scandal

In the realm of so-called renewable energy, wind power has often been championed as a beacon of hope. However, recent events from Tokyo’s corridors of power offer additional evidence that this beacon might be more of a mirage. Tokyo’s prosecutors have brought to light a scandal that further underscores the questionable practices surrounding wind power projects.

“Tokyo prosecutors said Thursday they have arrested the former vice foreign minister of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s Cabinet on suspicion of accepting more than 61 million yen ($414,000) in bribes from a wind power company in return for his promotion of wind power and other favorable treatment.”

https://apnews.com/article/japan-bribery-arrest-lawmaker-wind-power-12213337a4838ec9d402d266b890ef05

The High Cost of Wind

Masatoshi Akimoto, the central figure in this controversy, stands accused of accepting significant sums from a wind power company executive. This isn’t just a minor oversight; it’s a substantial amount of money, raising serious questions about the integrity of wind power endorsements.

“Akimoto had stepped down as vice foreign minister and left Kishida’s governing Liberal Democratic Party in August after allegations surfaced and prosecutors raided his office as part of their bribery investigation.”

Moreover, the depth of these alleged transactions doesn’t end with promoting wind power. Akimoto is also implicated in receiving funds in connection with a racehorse owner’s group, further muddying the waters of his professional conduct.

“He allegedly received another 31 million yen ($210,500) in connection to a racehorse owner’s group between October 2021 and June this year. He took the money for his registration with the group, according to Japanese media reports.”

Misplaced Rewards in Wind Power

The former president of Japan Wind Development, Masayuki Tsukawaki, has admitted that the payments to Akimoto were a “reward.” Yet, Akimoto has countered these claims, asserting his innocence and framing his actions as driven by political beliefs.

“Akimoto denied the allegations and said he asked questions at parliamentary sessions to promote renewable energy based on his political beliefs, not because he was asked to by Tsukawaki to benefit Japan Wind Development, NHK public television said, quoting him in a statement released by his lawyer.”

A Stain on Renewable Energy’s Image

While many activists and politicians push for renewable energy, this scandal serves as a stark reminder of the inefficiencies and pitfalls associated with wind power. The very need for such emissions reduction strategies, especially wind power, remains questionable at best.

“Officials in the regions pushing for renewable energy say they are worried that the bribery scandal hurts the image of renewables when the energy needs to be further promoted.”

The Question of Fair Competition

The recent events underscore the need for transparency and fair competition in the renewable and other areas of the energy sector. However, with such scandals coming to light, the very foundation of wind power’s credibility continues to be shaken.

“We cannot build social infrastructure for the future of Japan without fair competition. We want operators to compete fairly and squarely with technology.”

In conclusion, as the world grapples with the need for reliable energy sources, it’s essential to critically evaluate the true benefits and costs associated with each. The recent bribery scandal in Japan serves as a testament to the inherent problems with wind power and the misguided ambitions surrounding it. It’s high time to demand transparency, accountability, and a genuine reevaluation of the so-called benefits of wind energy.

H/T Willie Soon

From The Daily Caller

NICK POPE

CONTRIBUTOR

Democratic West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin torched President Joe Biden and his administration Thursday for their aggressive moves to curtail oil activity in Alaska.

The Department of the Interior (DOI) announced Wednesday that seven remaining leases awarded from a 2021 sale of land in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge’s (ANWR) Coastal Plain would be invalidated and that the agency would withdraw over 13 million acres of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA) from oil and gas leasing activity in order to ensure “maximum protection,” according a DOI press release. Manchin ripped the announced moves, calling the decisions an attempt to circumvent Congress that imperil American energy security in a Thursday press release.

“This is yet another example of this administration caving to the radical left with no regard for clear direction from Congress or American energy security,” Manchin said in the press release. “Let’s be clear — this is another attempt to use executive action to circumvent a law to accomplish what this administration does not have the votes to achieve in Congress.” (RELATED: Joe Biden Says There’s No Place For Fossil Fuels In His Administration After Saying ‘We Desperately Need Coal’ In 2012)

Alternatively, Biden could end his war on fossil fuels https://t.co/1eGfGP0RJ5

— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) February 26, 2022

The NRPA is approximately 23 million acres in total, and it is meant to serve as a reserve oil supply in the event of emergency, according to the Bureau of Land Management. There have now been 55 executive orders and actions targeting Alaska specifically since Biden took office in 2021, according to Republican Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski.

“Canceling valid leases, removing acreage from future sales, and attempting to reduce production in Alaska while taking steps to allow Iran and Venezuela to produce more oil — with fewer environmental regulations — makes no sense and is frankly embarrassing,” Manchin concluded.

Alaska produced the fourth-most oil of any state in the country in 2021 and 2022, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The administration’s moves to clamp down on drilling activity in the state follow a report from the International Energy Administration that oil prices could continue to rise as OPEC+ production cuts take hold, and a separate Reuters report indicating that Americans could see their heating bills spike if the upcoming winter proves to be particularly cold.

The DOI justified its decision to cancel the leases by asserting that the prerequisite environmental reviews were legally inadequate, according to the agency’s press release.

“President Biden is delivering on the most ambitious climate and conservation agenda in history,” Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said in the agency’s press release. “The steps we are taking today further that commitment, based on the best available science and in recognition of the Indigenous Knowledge of the original stewards of this area, to safeguard our public lands for future generations.”

Neither the White House nor the DOI responded immediately to requests for comment.

Essay by Eric Worrall

But we should look on this demand as an investment opportunity.

Africa proposes global carbon taxes to fight climate change

By Wedaeli Chibelushi & Mercy Juma

BBC News, London & Nairobi

African leaders have proposed a global carbon tax regime in a joint declaration.

The Nairobi Declaration capped the three-day Africa Climate Summit in Kenya’s capital.

The document, released on Wednesday, demanded that major polluters commit more resources to help poorer nations.

African heads of state said they will use it as the basis of their negotiating position at November’s COP28 summit.

…

The Nairobi Declaration urged world leaders “to rally behind the proposal for a global carbon taxation regime including a carbon tax on fossil fuel trade, maritime transport and aviation, that may also be augmented by a global financial transaction tax“.

Human rights activist Graça Machel told the BBC the declaration was “a huge step forward”.

“Africa is a player, the world cannot go without having Africa at the centre,” she said.

“Africa is not here to be helped. Africa is here to offer opportunities to offer investment, to offer solutions.“

…

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-66733557

Where are we supposed to get the capital for investment in Africa, if Africa has already taxed all our money?

This demand for handouts is shameful. It is like being approached in the street by a stumbling drunk who begs money for food. We all know exactly how that money would be spent, if we were foolish enough to agree to the absurd demand for cash.

If Africans need more money for development or weather resilience projects, they could start by arresting their corrupt Wabenzi kleptocratic rulers, and extracting a few Swiss bank account numbers from them.