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Conflicts of Interest?

So what?

Green Leap Forward
Mar 5, 2023
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Conflicts of Interest?

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For every action, there’s an equal and opposite reaction

-Sir Issac Newton

The Green Elites howl until the cows come home that people who don’t subscribe to their positions on climate change and/or energy policy must be “tAkInG FoSsIl FuEl MoNeY.” While such a statement could be true, the accusation is also often made with no evidence.

But even if it is true, we offer the following advice: cry harder

Alex Epstein
takes it in a similar direction. In his Snappy Answers to Energy Questions post, one of the questions is, “do you believe in taking money from fossil fuel companies?” To which he replies, “I believe candidates should proudly take money from fossil fuel companies if they and the company support energy freedom policies. Fossil fuel companies are essential to the survival of 8 billion people for the foreseeable future.”

Epstein has been accused by Michael Mann as being, "the Koch Brothers’ attack dog,” to which we ask Mr Mann, does the following look like a dog?

Unrelated | Survivalkit

Epstein has clarified that accusation here and spoiler alert - the accusations are nonsense

1
.

Nearly individual or organization, no matter how noble or evil, is going to take financial support from others who share their views.

We offer a second piece of advice to those waxing hysteric and accusing others of conflicts of interest: show us any skeletons in your closet.

Are you taking money from special interests? The taxpayers? Etc?

As a hint: normal people can do this free of the fiat system, racism, sexism, or ageism.

Twitter avatar for @hilder_frank
Frank Hilder @hilder_frank
@MichaelEMann A few stats from Heartland’s recent pretend “international” conference on climate change: Of the 54 presenters, about 87% have never published any peer-reviewed science on the topic. 93% were from the USA and Canada. 87% were (mostly old) white males.
Image
7:55 PM ∙ Mar 4, 2023
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Roger Pielke Jr. just published a piece somewhat suggesting just that. In, "When scientific integrity is undermined in pursuit of financial and political gain," he discusses his discovery of a climate researcher’s conflict of interest and among other things, just how common the phenomenon is among the circle who seem to be more than willing to fling the“tAkInG FoSsIl FuEl MoNeY,” at those they disagree with.

Among the many quotes he makes in that piece, one that really stands out is the following:"

Nothing could be more delegitimizing to climate science and policy than a toxic combination of unmitigated financial conflicts of interest and claims that climate researchers, by virtue of the noble cause, are exempt from the rules that govern every other setting where expertise and money intersect.

His piece also cites heavily the work of Professor Jessica Weinkle who also writes on Substack.

Pielke’s far more direct on Twitter however, which is what’s really interesting to us:

Twitter avatar for @RogerPielkeJr
The Honest Broker by Roger Pielke Jr. @RogerPielkeJr
Leading champion of IRA legislation has a financial stake in a company that is a major beneficiary Major COI It’s not just fossil fuel interests y’all https://t.co/IXRhCsGLzi
Twitter avatar for @JesseJenkins
JesseJenkins @JesseJenkins
Three advanced geothermal concepts will be considered by @SonomaCleanPow to boost clean firm power @ the Geysers, incl. @Eavor the world's leading closed loop geothermal company https://t.co/tSvi98vMUp Disclosure: I serve on Eavor's Advisory Board & have $ interest in the company
1:17 AM ∙ Feb 26, 2023
3Likes2Retweets
Twitter avatar for @RogerPielkeJr
The Honest Broker by Roger Pielke Jr. @RogerPielkeJr
“He is currently an advisor to Rondo Energy, Eavor Technologies, MUUS Climate Partners, Energy Impact Partners, and Clean Air Task Force and is a partner with DeSolve, LLC” Change this to Exxon, Shell etc and how’s it sound?
1:27 AM ∙ Feb 26, 2023
12Likes3Retweets
Twitter avatar for @RogerPielkeJr
The Honest Broker by Roger Pielke Jr. @RogerPielkeJr
You can be a policy analyst with independent views on policy or you can lobby for industry that benefits from those policies You can try to do both Unwise Good luck!
2:41 AM ∙ Feb 26, 2023
11Likes1Retweet

Peilke in his Subatack piece writes “I’m not naming the researcher (you can find him easily enough), because his case is far from unique in climate research these days, and this post is about a far bigger more important issue.”

He has his reasons, and we respect those, as for not specifying the exact person in his Substack piece, but we could not help but notice it was already online.

So here it goes:

Twitter avatar for @JesseJenkins
JesseJenkins @JesseJenkins
Three advanced geothermal concepts will be considered by @SonomaCleanPow to boost clean firm power @ the Geysers, incl. @Eavor the world's leading closed loop geothermal company northbaybusinessjournal.com/article/articl… Disclosure: I serve on Eavor's Advisory Board & have $ interest in the company
northbaybusinessjournal.comNew geothermal tech aims to boost power at The GeysersSonoma Clean Power’s board is set to consider three proposals that could ultimately produce up to 600 megawatts of low-water-use geothermal energy, expanding electricity output by 85%.
1:02 AM ∙ Feb 26, 2023
13Likes1Retweet
Twitter avatar for @JesseJenkins
JesseJenkins @JesseJenkins
On March 2, @SonomaCleanPow's board will meet to consider cooperation agreements w/@Eavor, Chevron New Energies & Cyrq Energy for each to build up to 20 MW demonstration projects at the Geysers geothermal field in Sonoma County Cali. If successful, each would scale up to 200 MW.
1:03 AM ∙ Feb 26, 2023
Twitter avatar for @JesseJenkins
JesseJenkins @JesseJenkins
Clean firm power is critical for California to reach its 100% carbon-free electricity goal by 2045, enshrined in statute by SB100 in 2018 (see EDF.org/cleanfirmpower). The state has set a goal to procure 1,160 MW of new geothermal power generation over the next five years.
1:06 AM ∙ Feb 26, 2023
8Likes3Retweets
Twitter avatar for @JesseJenkins
JesseJenkins @JesseJenkins
While the California PUC envisioned conventional geothermal technologies, their potential is greatly limited. Advanced geothermal concepts like closed loop (@Eavor) and enhanced geothermal (@fervoenergy) are key to making geothermal truly scalable.
1:07 AM ∙ Feb 26, 2023
Twitter avatar for @JesseJenkins
JesseJenkins @JesseJenkins
@SonomaCleanPow is helping lead the way with advanced geothermal procurements and "sees a future where as much as 40% of its energy supply will be sourced from advanced geothermal resources" like closed loop and enhanced geothermal, said CEO Geof Syphers. 🌋⚡🔌🌎👍👍
1:10 AM ∙ Feb 26, 2023
Twitter avatar for @JesseJenkins
JesseJenkins @JesseJenkins
For more about what @Eavor is up to, see eavor.com (Btw, it's pronounced "Ever")
eavor.comEavor - The World’s First Scalable Form of Clean Baseload PowerEavor is an advanced geothermal technology company dedicated to creating a clean, scalable form of clean baseload power on a global scale.
1:10 AM ∙ Feb 26, 2023
2Likes1Retweet

To Jenkins’ credit as well, he did state he had a conflict of interest.

Sonoma Power is one of the Community Choice Aggregators we mentioned in the previous piece for what it’s worth.

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And spoiler alert again: Epstein is a human, not a dog, or honey badger.

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Conflicts of Interest?

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Conflicts of Interest?

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Bitcoin Fortress
Writes Bitcoin Fortress Newsletter
Mar 5Liked by Green Leap Forward

Honey badger don't care. LOL. Can't wait for the narrative to flip to "human flourishing actually depends on all forms of energy, especially the ones that are dense, low cost and already here for us to use."

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Meredith Angwin
Mar 5Liked by Green Leap Forward

The conflict of interest situation only appears to be relevant when the company providing the funding is considered to be an evil company. Funding from a geothermal start-up---Great! Funding from a nuclear plant--Evil!

I addressed this problem in my book "Campaigning for Clean Air: Strategies for Pro-Nuclear Advocacy." I didn't SOLVE this problem, but I did address it.

I point out that for many advocates in various areas, an early question is "How shall I raise money?" For a nuclear advocate, the first question is "SHOULD I raise money? Will I be called a shill?" (Yes, you will, whether you raise money or not.) I suggested that pro-nuclear advocates should seek money, including from nuclear plants.

A quote from the book:

"..You are pro-nuclear and you are seeking money. The nuclear companies are not seeking you, like the Devil in some kind of morality play, trying to get ahold of your soul."

By stating his conflict of interest, Jenkins was quite honorable. In Vermont (not naming names) a lobbyist for a not-for-profit fought long and hard for a certain type of renewable funding. As soon as the funding was in place, he quit the not-for-profit and helped start a company to take advantage of that funding.

When he was fighting for the funding, he said nothing about his own hopes for gain, if the legislature passed the bills he was lobbying to see enacted. At that time, he was a noble lobbyist for a not-for-profit.

And so it goes....

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