Secretary of Energy Steven Chu says "another myth is that we have all the technology we need to solve the energy problem, it's only a matter of political will."
"So, another myth is that we have all the technology we need to solve the energy problem, it's only a matter of political will. I think political will is absolutely necessary ... but we need new technologies to transform the [energy] landscape."
-Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, speaking (before his nomination) in summer 2008 at the National Clean Energy Summit convened by the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), and the Center for American Progress Action Fund (see video below).
Quote starts at 6 minute and 22 seconds into the video. Chu then goes on the speak about the potential for dramatic and transformational technological developments - aka "breakthroughs" - in energy technologies, including solar photovoltaics and biofuels.
The Dirty Little Secret of "Clean Energy" is that it takes energy to create the equipment used to generate it. And no one talks about this. For example: We can not all drive Hybrids because there are simply not enough Rare Earth Metals to create the Engines and Batteries. In the United States we have over 300 million cars. At least one car for every man woman and child. Yet each year we create more cars. And we are doing nothing to make the resources and materials in these cars truly recyclable. Sad. So yes it's going to take more than political will to make this happen. People have got to address consumption and learn the difference between NEEDS and WANTS.
The Dirty Little Secret of "Clean Energy" is that it takes energy to create the equipment used to generate it. And no one talks about this. For example: We can not all drive Hybrids because there are simply not enough Rare Earth Metals to create the Engines and Batteries. In the United States we have over 300 million cars. At least one car for every man woman and child. Yet each year we create more cars. And we are doing nothing to make the resources and materials in these cars truly recyclable. Sad. So yes it's going to take more than political will to make this happen. People have got to address consumption and learn the difference between NEEDS and WANTS.
Posted by: Vans at July 26, 2010 3:33 PM