Roger Pielke, Jr. Has it Just Right

Dr. Roger Pielke, Jr.
Roger Pielke, Jr. and I have been friends for years. He is one of the smartest people I know.

In his new book, The Climate Fix, he describes his "Iron Law" which is that people are not going to replace energy sources and technology that work well with more expensive sources and technology, especially if they work less well. No amount of "environmental guilt" will change that.

Others are coming to the same conclusion.

Venture capitalist Peter Thiel, one of the founders of PayPal, recently gave an interview where he criticized "clean tech" companies. He believes they are run by "sales people, not engineers" and so are not innovating in any meaningful way. He goes on to say,

Something has gone quite wrong in clean tech. As a result, most clean tech companies that try to develop alternative energy forms are building power sources that are more expensive...


We need something cheaper, not more expensive. It doesn't matter if the energy is cleaner, it doesn't work [financially] if it is more expensive. 


Mr. Thiel goes on to discuss how natural gas, a very clean, energy-dense, abundant fuel has "yet to be tapped." He also believes the innovations currently going on in the field of nuclear energy are promising.

Roger and Peter are 100% correct. Time for fresh thinking and innovation.

UPDATE: Monday. The new issue of Forbes arrived on my desk and Mr. Thiel is on the cover.

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