4 Comments

1. #1 Redroom Studios
   on Jul 2nd, 2008 at 9:14 am

   ideally, each house or apartment block would generate its own solar or wind energy. I think keeping energy industrialized or institutionalized is the repetition of past mistakes. I guess you have to start somewhere and this is encouraging news. I am curious about the technical details of this new solar panel, perhaps its a proprietary secret.

2. #2 shapeshift
   on Jul 2nd, 2008 at 3:42 pm

   For some reason, I am sure the technology is a proprietary secret. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that the technology could get bought up and shelved by those that greatly benefit from oil money.

3. #3 Redroom Studios
   on Jul 2nd, 2008 at 6:46 pm

   yes, good observation. they sort of elude to something related in the video, calling it ‘political will’.

   I think part of the resistance to new / clean technologies is that they are not so complex as the oil industry. That is, there is no need to replicate the multi layered extraction/ refining/ distribution that accounts for millions of jobs currently. Part of why capitalism works to the degree it does is because of inefficiencies and layers of seperation between producer and consumer. Its all a giant pyramid scheme really.

   If this new solar technology could bring it to the level of a primary energy source, aside from the initial installation it is not capital and labour intensive so therefore not attractive to investors and governments.

   I am so cynical!

4. #4 shapeshift
   on Jul 3rd, 2008 at 10:51 am

   Yes, that was interesting how they were talking about this great technology breakthrough and then said BUT for now, like every other country, they will wait for political will. It just seems like waiting for the politicians is just not the answer.

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