Sadly, one sign of a maturing industry is that the Mafia start “investing” into the business. Tony Soprano, Don Corleone, nor any of the Goodfellas ever showed any interest in wind, but now renewable energy advocates have to deal with the headache, albeit a small one, with which the rest of the business world sometimes deals: Italian “eco Mafia” groups have found their way into the wind power industry.
And why wouldn't they poke their noses there? The European Union has set ambitous goals that could reduce its collective energy consumption 20%, while procuring 20% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. That 20-20-2020 vision has sent government officials and business leaders scrambling across the continent. Solar panel installations have risen across
Spain,
Sweden launched the world's first dimethyl ether (DME) vehicle fuel plant, and even body heat has been probed as an option in
Paris. Italy has often been seen as a laggard in the race for independence from fossil fuels, but its government, despite changing prime ministers as quickly as its football players writhe in fake pain during a football match, has increased the boot's investment in clean energy. The results are not always happy ones, especially in Sicily, where locals are furious as their landscape looks less like the Mediterranean and more like the Coachella Valley or Holland.
Wind power has become one of the more polarizing renewable energy sectors. Fair or not, sometimes the industry comes across as a
bully; and locals sometimes feel as if they are ignored while turbines sprout out of the ground, marring landscapes from Oregon to Antia, Greece. Others ensnared in the debate counter that those who howl loudest are the ones who were passed over for the lucrative land leases. But Sicilians, who for years have been weary of the crime syndicates who often dominate commerce, are voicing their opinions even louder. So far, Sicily is home to 30 wind farms, with another 60 underway. And locals are upset that roads are leftunrepaired while giant turbines hover over the island's windswept hills—with mafiosos and
politicans pocketing the profits. Some scofflaws have been arrested for bribing local officials with cash and chic cars, and last fall, 15 people were arrested in a
scam involving the pilfering of 30 million in EU funds. Some installations have reported dubious wattage generation claims. Meanwhile, Italy pays the
highest hourly rate per wind-generated kilowatt in the world: 180 euros. The
arrest of Italy's head of its National Wind Energy Association surely does not help on the industry's image.
In the broad picture, the amount of corruption in the renewable energy sector is relatively small, and such problems are not confined to Italy. Those who oppose subsidies for renewable energy projects and their partner organizations funded by energy companies will use this Sicilian episode as a strawman argument to bellow against any progress on the behalf of clean energy. The truth is that most people working in the oil industry are evil and behind nefarious sabotage; and renewable energy firms are hardly monolithic when it comes to lining their pockets with government money. Transparency and accountability are key; so is the engagement of the local community, who has a right to be heard.
About The Author
Leon Kaye
Leon Kaye is the founder and editor of GreenGoPost.com and its advisory division,
GGP Media.
Contact him to discuss how he can work with your organization or event.
His focus is making the business case for sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR).
He writes for San Francisco-based
Triple Pundit,
Inhabitat and now
The Guardian, for which he writes about corporate responsibility, water, and green building. He has also written for AIA's
Architect Magazine.
Leon works out of Fresno and Silicon Valley, California, and when he has free time, he enjoys hiking, gardening, cooking, weightlifting, and planning his next trip to one of the 60 countries he has visited. He has an MBA from USC's Marshall School of Business and is also a proud graduate of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) and Cal State-Fresno.
Sadly, one sign of a maturing industry is that the Mafia start “investing” into the business. Tony Soprano, Don Corleone, nor any of the Goodfellas ever showed any interest in wind, but now renewable energy advocates have to deal with the headache, albeit a small one, with which the rest of the business world sometimes deals: Italian “eco Mafia” groups have found their way into the wind power industry.
And why wouldn't they poke their noses there? The European Union has set ambitous goals that could reduce its collective energy consumption 20%, while procuring 20% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. That 20-20-2020 vision has sent government officials and business leaders scrambling across the continent. Solar panel installations have risen across Spain, Sweden launched the world's first dimethyl ether (DME) vehicle fuel plant, and even body heat has been probed as an option in Paris. Italy has often been seen as a laggard in the race for independence from fossil fuels, but its government, despite changing prime ministers as quickly as its football players writhe in fake pain during a football match, has increased the boot's investment in clean energy. The results are not always happy ones, especially in Sicily, where locals are furious as their landscape looks less like the Mediterranean and more like the Coachella Valley or Holland.
Wind power has become one of the more polarizing renewable energy sectors. Fair or not, sometimes the industry comes across as a bully; and locals sometimes feel as if they are ignored while turbines sprout out of the ground, marring landscapes from Oregon to Antia, Greece. Others ensnared in the debate counter that those who howl loudest are the ones who were passed over for the lucrative land leases. But Sicilians, who for years have been weary of the crime syndicates who often dominate commerce, are voicing their opinions even louder. So far, Sicily is home to 30 wind farms, with another 60 underway. And locals are upset that roads are leftunrepaired while giant turbines hover over the island's windswept hills—with mafiosos and politicans pocketing the profits. Some scofflaws have been arrested for bribing local officials with cash and chic cars, and last fall, 15 people were arrested in a scam involving the pilfering of 30 million in EU funds. Some installations have reported dubious wattage generation claims. Meanwhile, Italy pays the highest hourly rate per wind-generated kilowatt in the world: 180 euros. The arrest of Italy's head of its National Wind Energy Association surely does not help on the industry's image.
In the broad picture, the amount of corruption in the renewable energy sector is relatively small, and such problems are not confined to Italy. Those who oppose subsidies for renewable energy projects and their partner organizations funded by energy companies will use this Sicilian episode as a strawman argument to bellow against any progress on the behalf of clean energy. The truth is that most people working in the oil industry are evil and behind nefarious sabotage; and renewable energy firms are hardly monolithic when it comes to lining their pockets with government money. Transparency and accountability are key; so is the engagement of the local community, who has a right to be heard.
This would make for a great documentary!
I know, right? I really had to stay away from the jokes. I just hope it doesn’t become a strawman argument for those who sabotage any potential energy solutions out there. The wind energy sector, however, has come across as a bully at times–and local stakeholder engagement is crucial!