Sep
15
15
I’m over here in Berlin for the Solar Paces 2009 energy conference. It sure feels like Germany in particular, and Europe in general, both are taking renewable energy and efficiency much more seriously than we do in America. They are making bigger investments, and discussing plans on a bigger scale than I hear in the United States. I wonder if it’s because their economy is better, or do they care more, or do they understand the problem differently? As the conference here proceeds, I look forward to a better understanding of the best solutions that people propose.
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Dear Bill,
Did you ever develop a domestic version of the solar capture device you showcased at TED? I wrote to Idea lab, but nobody replied.
Dear Bill,
I agree. I work for a public affairs firm that helps companies navigate their renewable energy projects through the city/county/CEC/CPUC approval process in California (solar and wind development companies). I want to know why so many of these companies are from Europe or Asia. Also, how come so many of these renewable energy companies fail to recognize that their is a public approval process here in California? I think the state and federal government have given renewable energy companies the impression that these projects are so welcome that all they have to do is buy land (close to a transmission line) and build it – no questions asked. This is far from reality. Ironically it was the environmentalists that encouraged renewable energy solutions but it’s also the environmentalists that are aggressively opposing renewable energy projects – especially large scale solar and wind projects. I’ll bet this is not the situation in Europe and maybe answers your question about Europe caring more about climate change. We are not all rowing in the same direction in the US on this issue. Why would a company investment millions in a renewable energy project if there is a high likelihood of them having to fight aggressive opposition from environmentalists? The US Chamber of Commerce has an initiative going called Project No Project. Project No Project has a website dedicated to energy projects that are stalled or have been killed by various environmentalists and NIMBYism. It is a sad list of good energy projects that will probably never be built.
Thank you,
John