Comments on: Consequences of the Google Grid http://understory.ran.org/2007/11/28/consequences-of-the-google-grid/ The Understory is the official blog of Rainforest Action Network. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:33:44 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: The Understory » The education of Thomas Friedman (next lesson: technology is not the problem) http://understory.ran.org/2007/11/28/consequences-of-the-google-grid/comment-page-1/#comment-147866 The Understory » The education of Thomas Friedman (next lesson: technology is not the problem) Tue, 04 Dec 2007 01:43:35 +0000 http://understory.ran.org/2007/11/28/consequences-of-the-google-grid/#comment-147866 [...] “RE < C” renewable energy research initiative (to make renewable energy cost less than [...] [...] “RE < C” renewable energy research initiative (to make renewable energy cost less than [...]

]]> By: Matt Leonard http://understory.ran.org/2007/11/28/consequences-of-the-google-grid/comment-page-1/#comment-147253 Matt Leonard Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:39:50 +0000 http://understory.ran.org/2007/11/28/consequences-of-the-google-grid/#comment-147253 Well, it's not as if the fossil fuel industry survives off of a "huge slug of quasi-charitable capital". The recent GAO report conservatively shows nearly $16.8 billion in federal subsidies and tax breaks for fossil fuels. Renewable energy gets a fraction of that amount, and is fighting an entrenched infrastructure that overwhelmingly supports fossil fuels. And then if you view the Iraq War as at least significantly about keeping oil supplies under control and cheap- the charitable contributions to oil increase by orders of magnitude. Well, it’s not as if the fossil fuel industry survives off of a “huge slug of quasi-charitable capital”. The recent GAO report conservatively shows nearly $16.8 billion in federal subsidies and tax breaks for fossil fuels. Renewable energy gets a fraction of that amount, and is fighting an entrenched infrastructure that overwhelmingly supports fossil fuels.

And then if you view the Iraq War as at least significantly about keeping oil supplies under control and cheap- the charitable contributions to oil increase by orders of magnitude.

]]> By: Dan http://understory.ran.org/2007/11/28/consequences-of-the-google-grid/comment-page-1/#comment-147086 Dan Thu, 29 Nov 2007 01:11:01 +0000 http://understory.ran.org/2007/11/28/consequences-of-the-google-grid/#comment-147086 If Google is right that a renewable technology that is cheaper than coal is 'years, not decades' away, the interesting thing is that it takes a huge slug of quasi-charitable capital to research it. No fully commercial investor seems to believe the case sufficiently to put their money where there mouth is. If Google is right that a renewable technology that is cheaper than coal is ‘years, not decades’ away, the interesting thing is that it takes a huge slug of quasi-charitable capital to research it. No fully commercial investor seems to believe the case sufficiently to put their money where there mouth is.

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