Renewables: Don't Expect Natural Growth Characteristics in Markets with Hidden Forces
My post on Moore’s Law earlier in the week got picked up at CleanTechies.com, we’re there has been some interesting discussion. In particular, one really bright gentleman debated some of the mathematics of exponential growth.
To me, however, the issue is less academic. I think the overriding issue here is not Moore’s Law as it applies to the development of technology in a free, market-driven world that genuinely has an appetitite. Unless I’m quite wrong here, the migration to renewables will continue to be hamstrung by the forces that are far more powerful coming from big money and politics: subsidies, political favors, etc.
Why don’t we in the US have a federal energy policy that firmly takes us towards health, safety, and sustainability? Are we to suppose that this is an accident? No, there are enormously powerful forces behind our actions (or lack thereof) — forces that trump the natural tendencies that may exist within free markets.
Does this sound like an unfair accusation? Ask yourself: What’s the purpose of those 7000 lobbyists who work for the oil industry?
In the news on the electric vehicle front is Terry McAuliffe, prolific political campaign fund-raiser and close friend of Bill Clinton. On Tuesday, McAuliffe will announce to world leaders at the Clinton Global Initiative a commitment to invest $1 billion to build neighborhood electric vehicles in economically depressed areas of the United States to spur the economy and create green jobs.
Here’s a question for you now that mid-term elections are here. Do you have what it takes for a career as a political speechwriter? Here’s a one-question quiz that will help you find an answer. Suppose I were running for Congress. Which campaign platform would you recommend for me? You can tell voters that I will fight to:
I like to think of myself as a man who doesn’t have to be right all the time. But once in a while, it really ain’t so bad. I have to think that this article on 
I deeply appreciate those of you who follow my observations of the renewable energy industry. Not everyone agrees with everything I write, but that’s quite OK with me, as disagreement is what helps us all get to the root of important matters — in this case, those that surround the technology, economics, and politics of clean energy.
I’m always interested in what the folks in electric vehicle auto design come up with. Common wisdom dictates an approach in which an EV driver makes a bold and clear statement of his choice — and his environmental consciousness — to the world around him. And, from a design perspective, this isn’t at all hard to accomplish (but of course, that’s easy for me to say). Simply building something a bit smaller and more aerodynamic than our standard coupes and sedans of the early 21st Century gets the job done nicely, while extending range and thus improving driver convenience. The recently unveiled four-passenger electric car (pictured here) designed by a team of entrepreneurs based near Paris, called NEOMA, is a terrific example — though some might find it a bit extreme. 
