Comments on: Why Systems Thinking, Rather Than New Technologies, Will Jump-Start the Clean-Tech Economy http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/02/01/why-systems-thinking-rather-than-new-technologies-will-jump-start-the-clean-tech-economy/ Environmental Leader Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:25:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Dave Carlson http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/02/01/why-systems-thinking-rather-than-new-technologies-will-jump-start-the-clean-tech-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-178535 Dave Carlson Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:53:54 +0000 http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=31126#comment-178535 Unfortunately this narrative missed a large part of the story, which was an epic battle between direct current transmission as favored by Edison, and alternating current, favored by Geo. Westinghouse (I believe). Edison bet on the wrong type of inefficient horse and lost the battle despite overwhelming political support. Unfortunately this narrative missed a large part of the story, which was an epic battle between direct current transmission as favored by Edison, and alternating current, favored by Geo. Westinghouse (I believe). Edison bet on the wrong type of inefficient horse and lost the battle despite overwhelming political support.

]]> By: Thomas C. Taylor http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/02/01/why-systems-thinking-rather-than-new-technologies-will-jump-start-the-clean-tech-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-176944 Thomas C. Taylor Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:45:06 +0000 http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=31126#comment-176944 It is not the lack of vision holding back weaning off of fossil fuels, it is, more importantly, lack of funding. Silicon Valley has recently jumped into solar cell production. This means that we will soon see a full-frontal assault on the pathetic 15% solar panel power density. It also gives them the remaining 85% of inefficiency to gain competitive advantage. Renewable energy sources are the solution and there is more than enough room for innovation. You are correct that there needs to be system thinking. Like Tesla with his wireless transmission of electricity. We need to displace the horrible bloated bureaucracies that constitute our electrical grid today by replacing them with a dispersed solution; both for economic and security reasons. It is not the lack of vision holding back weaning off of fossil fuels, it is, more importantly, lack of funding. Silicon Valley has recently jumped into solar cell production. This means that we will soon see a full-frontal assault on the pathetic 15% solar panel power density. It also gives them the remaining 85% of inefficiency to gain competitive advantage. Renewable energy sources are the solution and there is more than enough room for innovation.

You are correct that there needs to be system thinking. Like Tesla with his wireless transmission of electricity. We need to displace the horrible bloated bureaucracies that constitute our electrical grid today by replacing them with a dispersed solution; both for economic and security reasons.

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