Obama Administration to Spend $20 Million on Green Energy Plan – For Africa

(CNSNews.com) – The U.S. government is spending $20 million to “help clean energy projects in Africa get started.” Those projects include wind farms and solar panels, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced at the recent Rio +20 Conference in Brazil.

But the government watchdog Judicial Watch criticized the spending as wasteful, given the administration’s track record in trying to pick green energy winners.

“The U.S.-Africa Clean Energy Finance Initiative will help clean energy projects in Africa get started,” said Clinton in her June 22 speech. “This is an innovative partnership between three United States government entities – the State Department, OPIC (the Overseas Private Investment Corporation), and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency. We want to drive private sector investment into the energy sector.”

story

WHAT ???

Yes of course.

The problem is that China has everybody trumped again

This latest scam will make somebody rich at taxpayer expense


article from June 8 2011

China plans to build solar power projects in 40 African nations, aiming at cutting the continent’s reliance on fossil fuels and open a new market for Chinese manufacturers, the biggest producers of solar panels.

The programme would require $100 million (R672m) in investment, Sun Guangbin, the secretary-general of photovoltaic products at the China Chamber of Commerce for Import & Export of Machinery and Electronic Products, said in a recent interview

The projects would use competitive bidding and Chinese-made panels, Sun added.

China is branching into clean energy after investing $10 billion last year in Africa, where its traditional targets have been oil, minerals and construction. That will help feed its burgeoning solar industry led by JA Solar Holdings and Suntech Power Holdings, the largest makers of cells used in photovoltaic panels that turn sunlight into power.

China plans to light up Africa with solar

story from Sep 9, 2011

When completed in 2013, Gibe III on Ethiopia’s Omo River will be Africa’s tallest dam, a $2.2 billion project that conservationists say will deprive birds and hippos of vital habitat.

Some 600 miles (965 kilometers) to the north, Sudan is preparing to build the $705 million Kajbar dam on the Nile, which would inundate historic towns and tombs of the Nubian people, descendants of the pharaohs of ancient Egypt. The $729 million Bui project on the Black Volta River, to be finished in 2013, will boost Ghana’s hydropower capacity by a third -- and flood a quarter of Bui National Park while displacing 2,600 people.

What these megaprojects have in common is Chinese money and know-how. Companies such as Sinohydro Corp. and Dongfang Electric Corp. are key players in their construction, and they’re financed by Chinese banks with support from the government in Beijing, Bloomberg Businessweek reports in its Sept. 12 issue.

Africa’s Friend China Finances $9.3 Billion of Hydropower

How about we "Cancel"

I want a refund !!

Wow. This is insane. Why can't they just stop spending?? Or, at the very least, take that 20 million and apply it to a good purpose within the US. It amazes me. Thanks for sharing and bringing this to our attention. I find my ignorance fading a little more each day, and it's being replaced with anger.

20 millions is pocket change.
The US spends more per hour to kill people around the world and to secure power for the 1%.

The african continent has been rapped so badly the last 400~ years that I find it justified to give them a hand.
England and France have been the worst abusers, I feel they are the ones that should give back.

Anyway, don't we all know by now that they never give money away for nothing?
This is investment and yes, the poor will probably be the ones paying the profits.

Originally posted by theMediator
20 millions is pocket change.

Great.

Then spare EVERY American, here at home, with it............

Okay, so our elected representatives in government who are sworn to represent the American citizenry, want to help the continent of Africa have green energy. The problem with this story, besides the fact that our representatives should be serving us with our tax dollars instead of Africa, is that Africa is a continent. While the auricle did speak of hydroelectric possibilities in eastern Africa, the only actual country mentioned was Egypt.

So are we now financing the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt to have wind farms? Or perhaps its the Muslim Brotherhood in Libya. This is the problem when they say helping Africa, since it is a continent with many nations some of which are not friendly to America, we never really know who we are giving our money to. Just look at all the UN food aid that has went to Somalia for refugees, most of that food and medical aid went to the warlords in the end. Same could be said for the military aid for Libya and Egypt, then we find out that wehelped the MB rise to power.

I'm all for helping countries become economically and technologically advanced, but when the tyrants in DC are playing the good guy act and being vague about details it almost always ends up dirty. Not to mention the economic shape of our nation, we are borrowing billions, or hundreds of billions to keep us going yet we can afford to hand out money everyday? Hell if we have that much in our government bank then lets spend it paying off our debt.

The fact is we don't, we are broke and bankrupt but TPTB, instead of admitting it hide it with fancy words like deficit spending and deficit instead of calling it what it is, Robbing Peter to pay Paul. Our elected official don't represent us, they represent the PTB and perform their agenda at our expense and we the taxpayer will be left footing the bill when the US Government decides to announce bankruptcy and the issuing of a new currency of much lower value than ours.

That 20 million could go a long way in stimulating our economy, but its more important to do the will of TPTB and ignore our $14 trillion of debt. What's another $20 million compared to $14 trillion in taxpayer debt? They think they can just raise taxes on us and keep spending all they want. So just think about it, while you are doing all you can do to survive yet they talk of higher taxes, just so you can work more, make less, and have less. So you the taxpayer goes without what you need or want for your family just to pay your contribution to some wind farm in a country that we will probably, eventually be at war with. Welcome to global socialism!

Fix America First!

Africa does not want America's military strength on the continent. Africa is rich in resources. China comes in and offers Africans development dollars and dollars for a new African Union headquarters ( a very visual symbol of Africa Asia unity). George Bush, understanding the above, gave billions for AIDS relief in Africa.

Considering the above, and understanding that opening an entire continent into 21st cen development and world trade and that 21st century resources in Africa cannot be plundered, the USA would do well to help Africa develop their green energy. Africa cannot develop economies and make a better life for its citizens with 18-19th cen energy technology as America did.

Make fun of a village having clean burning stoves, but their families will not have to be encouraged by the govt to send their children to fight (and return dead or harmed) in a war for resources to keep their "way of life", as American families with their microwaves.

African nations/families will look to thank the nations that will help rather than plunder. Now is the time to "teach a man to fish", rather than fight him. In Africa such friends will be better off than enemies. China understands this need for friendship with Africa; American ignorance of this friendship might make for political fodder but do nothing for American (business or govt) investment in their future.

America could have had more green technology, but Reagan's taking down the White House solar panels and Obama's throwing Van Jones under the bus made for very symbolic returning to 18-19th cen energy technology. Funny, it could very well be that North America ends up the energy Dark Continent, and Africa the city on the hill shining because of 21st cent energy technology.