Comments on: Pickens' Pullout Highlights Alternative Energy Uncertainty

By: Tim Hurst

Tim Hurst — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:07:33 +0000

I agree, creating more supply does little to curb demand. But an advance in one should not be made at the expense of another. There is no reason we can’t create demand for small-scale distributed renewables and develop systems to reduce total demand.

By: Lishster

Lishster — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 02:32:57 +0000

I’m not comfortable with this idea of creating demand for cleaner energy. Yes, what energy we do produce we should produce in a cleaner way. But I worry that all this talk of producing clean energy is simply increasing the supply. Meanwhile, the idea of a clean energy utopia does not help dampen demand. I want alternative energy too, but not if it really adds up to more energy. It would be nice if new transmission lines were not in corporate hands like Pickens’ to begin with. Electricity is a public service – exactly the kind of thing government should be managing for the common good.

By: Timothy B. Hurst

Timothy B. Hurst — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 02:50:20 +0000

Aah yes, Carter’s famous “Malaise Speech.”

In terms of government investment spurring innovation and development of renewables, I’m all for it. But wasn’t the Synfuels Corp. a big disaster? (Not to mention the fact that it was/is an incredibly environmentally destructive fuel).

I think people like the idea of ownership and that’s why creating demand for cleanly produced energy needs to be given more thought and serious consideration. The example of a feed-in tariff is the first thing I think off the top of my head, but there are other examples that would immediately create growth in the sagging renewables energy. Politically, however, feed-ins are a tall order, to say the least.

By: Earth & Industry Team

Earth & Industry Team — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:03:42 +0000

Good points. There's a lot that could be learned from that administration. Reminds me of this article on Twilight Earth today.

By: Ted N.

Ted N. — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:45:00 +0000

As important as alternative energy technologies are at this point in our history, it seems reasonable for the government to get involved. Instead of loan guarantees to automakers so they can build more inefficient cars that further our dependence on foreign sources of energy, how about a loan for Mesa to prove out the wind energy industry? The Carter Administration had a couple of examples of this – the Synfuels Corporation being one of them.