energy efficiency (the biggest short term opportunity, in my view). He then simultaneously held out a carrot and stick saying that the Pentagon had declared America’s dependence on foreign oil a security risk and that there was a $2 trillion potential market in wind energy over the next two decades (Massachusetts just won some federal grant money to build a wind blade test facility).
I haven’t read the press coverage on his speech yet, but I bet most will pick up on what he called the biggest obstacle to advancing clean energy legislation. What he called the “myth that there is little or nothing we can do; that politics is broken.” I’m not sure that’s the biggest obstacle, but it’s real for sure.
He finished with some of the best lines of the speech saying that “Today’s frontiers can’t be found on a map” and that “pioneers are not off in the wilderness but all around us.” How true. I see that on Viridus everyday where dedicated, passionate and talented professionals are advancing corporate sustainability.
By the way, the legislation that Obama mentioned (but did not go into any detail about) was the Boxer-Kerry bill, proposed climate change legislation…The center piece of the proposed legislation is a cap-and-trade program where the initial credits are auctioned off. This would put a price on a ton of CO2 and would do so rather quickly, similar to RGGI, here in New England. Come join the discussion on Virid.us on how this proposed legislation would affect business and the environment.
Lastly, I just have to say that I was able to briefly meet the President and shake his hand which was pretty cool.
The MIT address was symbolic in that it expressed President Obama’s commitment and this country’s commitment to being a world leader in clean energy.
Cleantech entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and the green economy are in many ways dependent on the proactive leadership of President Obama and the historic legislation that is passed under him. This legislation is critical to enable entrepreneurs and businesses, which need the incentives, grants, and tax credits in place that, as President Obama said, “make renewable energy the profitable kind [of energy] in this country.”
Joel Rodriguez, Associate, Commonwealth Capital Ventures
The MIT address was symbolic in that it expressed President Obama’s commitment and this country’s commitment to being a world leader in clean energy.
Cleantech entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and the green economy are in many ways dependent on the proactive leadership of President Obama and the historic legislation that is passed under him. This legislation is critical to enable entrepreneurs and businesses, which need the incentives, grants, and tax credits in place that, as President Obama said, “make renewable energy the profitable kind [of energy] in this country.”
Before the address, Obama visited with research professors and students to engage on the specific research they have been doing, mentioning several examples in his address. It is reassuring that the President is willing to spend time understanding
