Cleantech depends on energy policy. US President Obama deals with two core climate issues: meeting the larger goal of reducing carbon emissions, and finding a way of rescuing the renewables industry from Wall Street’s collapse. The benchmark of 450 ppm is a crucial figure issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. ‘Limiting concentration to 450 ppm requires halting emissions at current levels.’ This needs tremendous policy structure.

But Obama is unflinching and relentless in his pursuit of cleantech. He believes that clean energy is not only the path to the future but also the key to economic revival. He says, “To truly transform our economy, protect our security, and save our planet from the ravages of climate change, we need to ultimately make clean, renewable energy the profitable kind of energy.”

He puts the money where his mouth is. ‘The stimulus alone dumped $167 billion in grants and loan guarantees for clean-energy and other projects onto the Department of Energy, dwarfing its $27 billion annual budget to such a degree that its inspector general frantically warned that the department could buckle under the strain. There’s even talk of refitting the White House with solar panels.’

Clean technology is based on the principle that ‘the growing scarcity and higher cost of fossil fuels, coupled with environmental concerns, will drive society toward alternative sources of energy, with enormous wealth accruing to whoever can supply them.’ It is still a capitalistic venture for the sake of economy. Along with conjuring up images of ‘towering wind turbines, sleek electric cars, and acres of mirrors shimmering in the desert’ is the strategic viability of having these commercially available.

Only the commercial readiness of cleantech can transform it from advocacy campaign to green economy.

Via The Atlantic