The absurdity of Europe burning wood for energy
Does not trump the absurdity of heavily subsidizing an american EV company in order to buy their cars, then telling users not to charge them during the winter.<p>As an EU-country citizen I am concerned by the dominance of political appearances in all the workings of EU since before the pandemic. Insisting in formerly-popular CO2 deadlines in the face of long-lasting ukraine war is absurd. Phasing out ICE cars too early is absurd. Subsidizing buying EVs throughout europe, even though many countries clearly can&#x27;t support the future EV load is absurd. Fining power production through coal is absurd, as is not having a nuclear strategy. Keeping the marginal pricing of wholesale energy during war, is absurd. Begging the dictator of azerbaijan for oil at the same time that they are attacking their neighbor, while also sanctioning russia for doing the same thing, is absurd.<p>Ursula VdL is a bad leader, and Charles Michel (president of the council) has recently publicly called her out for her bad leadership in energy. This EU that we see now is unrecognizable: inward-looking, woefully stuck in its own processes and populist obsessions, preoccupied with appearances (e.g. demanding gas and and even power cuts from countries that are NOT dependent on russia), and complete lack of vision. I am personally thankful to the US for taking initiative in nearly all fronts: arming ukraine, providing LNG to northern europe, coordinating sanctions and even Pelosi showing her support for democracy in the region.