by Bruce Goodman

Early in October Tom Friedman from the New York Times spoke in Grand Rapids. He addressed a crowd of 700 on many of the messages contained in his most recent book Hot, Flat and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution. His was an optimist message — no matter the problem(s), if we start solving them now they can be solved in time. He left somewhat to the imagination what constituted “in time”, having earlier stated that Al Gore got it all wrong on global warming. It fact it was happening faster and more severely than the former vice president predicted.

Not surprisingly his call for a carbon tax as a price signal that makes dirty fuels more expensive and clean fuels relatively cheaper did not get a lot of applause, even though it makes sense. He called on the crowd and the nation to be diligent and innovative in searching for sources of abundant, cheap, clean reliable electricity generation. He ended his presentation with his motto: “Change your leaders, not your light bulbs, because leaders write the rules. Rules shape the markets and markets give you scale. It starts there.”

Many more interesting and thought provoking comments. He could start a revolution.

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 by Bruce Goodman

There is little doubt that the energy resources to be developed in Michigan are dependent on the state and national response to climate change and global warming.  Energy and greenhouse gases are inextricably linked.  It is disapointing to see that the international community is unable to coalesce around targets and strategies on glabal warming which is turn would provide direction and guidance for energy policies around the world. 

Meanwhile, in the vacuum that currently exists, the U.S. and the State of Michigan need to take the lead in this challenge.  Author Tom Friedman’s clarion call in his recent writings has correctly linked energy policy and climate change when he calls for a global energy technology revolution to address supply and demand of energy, the decline of natural resources, climate change, energy poverty and biodiversity.  The solution he suggests is abundant, cheap, clean, reliable electrons, with the admonition – “invent, baby, invent.”  Michigan’s contribution to the development of low emission vehicles is the right thing to be doing at the right time.  R&D on electric generation and other transportation components (e.g. jet engines) that will provided by Michigan research (such as the new GE facility) will put Michigan in the middle of the innovation that is needed.

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