I’m a conservative conservationist. I’m proud to admit it. When Al Gore (Nobel Peace Prize? Gimme a break…) or Leo talks about climate change, I cringe. But I do believe in responsible stewardship of the environment achieved through pro-growth, anti-big government, market-driven policies based on rock-ribbed conservative principles – so do our thought leaders like Newt. I also believe new energy innovations to clean our air and water can reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
That’s why I found a special report on alternative energy in the latest issue of Business Week such a good read. According to Business Week the marketplace for new clean energy innovations is gaining a foothold:
“Talk to the pioneers of green technology and they’ll tell you these days they spend less time hard-selling the allure of renewable energy, and more hours managing shortages of materials, labor, and manufacturing capacity… After all, you do get some headaches when your business starts to contribute to the economy in a meaningful way. In the U.S., the renewable-energy and energy-efficiency industries generated nearly $1 trillion in revenues last year and employed some 8.5 million workers, according to a July, 2007, study by Management Information Services, a Washington, D.C., consultancy.”
So it should come as little surprise that entrepreneurs are seizing the opportunity to develop new energy technologies that reduce carbon emissions and our dependence on foreign oil – and investors are flocking to their ideas.
I confess that this growing clean-energy market is currently benefiting from tax and spend “carrots” that I’d rather not see. But I’m encouraged that it would have an even brighter, more profitable future under a market-based cap and trade system that forgoes the govt. handouts, thank you very much. As we like to say here at Terra Rossa: Markets and profits, not more government subsidies, and less moolah for mullahs.
This entry was posted on Friday, September 14th, 2007 at 1:40 pm and is filed under Alternative Energy Technology, Cap and Trade, Eco-Business Strategies . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
October 10th, 2007 at 2:20 am
And why exactly do you cringe when Al speaks?
He’s mostly about encouraging cap-and-trade programs and other energy efficient industries, not about spying in your bedroom.
You say, “they spend less time hard-selling the allure of renewable energy…” - don’t you think that Gore has been a major cheerleader in promoting this?
Really, if you’re starting a new site focused on good energy ideas, perhaps it can be inclusive and drop knee-jerk partisanship where not needed?
September 20th, 2008 at 7:37 am
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