October 25th, 2010

Agreeing To Agree on Energy Research and Development

BOSTON -

Virtually everyone who studies climate and energy issues agrees that federal energy R&D is woefully underfunded.  So why did a recent white paper recommending an increased emphasis on energy innovation and R&D, by scholars at three think tanks representing a range of ideologies, provoke significant criticism from a number of clean energy advocates?

“Post-Partisan Power”, written jointly by scholars at Brookings, AEI, and the Breakthrough Institute was criticized by a range of analysts, including CAP’s Joe Romm, Grist’s David Roberts, CFR’s Michael Levi and Harvard’s Rob Stavins (in addition to a plenty of favorable reactions.)

Much of the criticism centered less around its substance than on the perception that the paper promoted its recommendations as a viable alternative to a price on carbon.  The very title of the paper claims its approach can “deliver clean, cheap energy, economic productivity and national prosperity”, however I invite you to decide for yourself whether it frames itself as a comprehensive alternative.

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Tagged aei, breakthrough institute, brookings institute, Cap-and-trade, david roberts, Innovation, joe romm, michael levi, Policy, rob stavin |

July 12th, 2010

Diversity: Unleashing Innovation

BOSTON -

I once heard that the blades of modern wind turbines are modeled after the fins of humpback whales.  I’m not sure its true, but there is a striking resemblance, and such a practice has a name in design and engineering: biomimicry.

There is a less specific, more systemic feature of natural systems that I am interested in: the role of diversity.  It seems that diversity has a protective effect on some of the most critical natural systems, which directly or indirectly impact social well-being and human health; for example, its role in natural carbon sequestration, water purification, curing disease, and – oh yeah – evolution. Continue Reading >

Tagged Innovation |