CLEAN ENERGY – THE EMPTY PROMISE
Renewable energies are not just clean; they are also climate-friendly. They are the future, and many governments are investing in energy conversion. But is renewable energy really as clean as it’s said to be?
Consumers will happily pay a little more for cleaner power for their homes. Europe is currently planning its great energy turnaround, a wholesale move towards alternative power, ostensibly out of concern for the consequences of climate change. By 2050, the power suppliers have pledged to practically eliminate their CO2 emissions. But what really lies behind the promise of cleaner energy? Power from wind and sun are the most frequently touted. But these cover just one percent of European energy supply. In truth, politicians and the industry are counting primarily on biomass. Using taxpayers’ money, the EU has built up a multi-billion euro market. But to grow these energy-rich plants, moors and boglands, themselves valuable CO2 sinks, will be destroyed. And the area available for growing food crops will be reduced. A chain reaction is being triggered worldwide. To satisfy the hunger for energy-rich plants, rainforests in Brazil and Indonesia are being cleared. However, the EU is protecting the industry.