“The current race is to see who will control renewable energy technologies, and we are in the race,” Algerian Energy Minister Chakib Khelil told reporters. “We have the human and financial resources, and we have the will.”
Minister Khelil’s statement was made in the recent announcement that Algeria is undertaking a massive initiative to generate enough solar power across its Saharan geography that it will not only be generating energy for itself as early as 2010, but be exporting power to Europe by 2020. (See the full story in Aidan Lewis’s MSNBC piece.) The critical part of that statement: “we have the will.”
While most of the attention I’ve seen on Al Gore’s historic speech on climate change last week has been focused on the economic, technological, and scale challenges of reaching 100% energy through renewable sources in the US, the most important of all the challenges I believe he focuses on (as he has said in other speeches like his keynote at TED) is political will.
That Algeria has the will but the United States (currently) does not is tragic. Let’s be real, and just enough ideal… and let’s get on that!
Groups like the Alliance for Climate Protection and the Energy Action Coalition are really leading the way.
And if you haven’t seen Gore’s speech yet, watch it here:
5 responses so far ↓
1 Jake Brewer // Jul 24, 2008 at 1:55 pm
The point was made to me a little while ago that Algeria’s efforts seem as though they’re likely a result of savvy enterprise rather than political will.
I think that perspective is absolutely right in that Algeria’s effort is born of a business opportunity. I guess what’s frustrating is that the same perspective isn’t held or acted upon more strongly in the US. The first thing I thought of when reading the piece is the economic possibilities for solar industry throughout northern and Saharan Africa. It could potentially be the green industrial revolution that pulls a large swath of the continent out of poverty. And absolutely a potential OPEC-esque catalyst that redistributes global economic power.
Whatever the case in the future though, we have an awfully large land area in the US that receives >300 cloudless days annually that could be harnessed in various ways - especially through initiatives like Algeria’s.
Also, in fairness on the political front, Algeria doesn’t exactly have a collective action problem as the point was made to me… which we of course do.
That said, they’re getting it done, and in a way it’s unfortunate that a country like Algeria would be on top of that before an “innovative” “world leader” that uses 25% of the earth’s energy.
2 Jen // Jul 24, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Like the blog - well organized, thoughtful stuff. Will add to my Google Reader!
3 Jake Brewer // Jul 24, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Thanks, Jen. I’m already a fan of yours
4 H Braik // Jul 25, 2008 at 10:15 am
I can’t understand the use of the following sentence :it’s unfortunate that a country like Algeria would be on top of that before an “innovative” “world leader” that uses 25% of the earth’s energy.Just be open minded, learn from others and move on.
5 Jake Brewer // Jul 25, 2008 at 1:23 pm
I completely agree, H. Our nation’s business and political leaders SHOULD be open-minded and learn from others… and then get on with it. Unfortunately they’re not.
My thinking is that given the US’ leadership in the use of energy and the burning of fossil fuels, there’s no good reason it shouldn’t also be leading the way in new and innovative ways to obtain and use energy. It’s unfortunate that our country has proven so stuck in its ways (which I certainly recognize is for myriad reasons).
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