The Green Technodustrial Revolution

What will 2010 bring?  Recent announcements from GM and Chrysler seem to hint towards the long-awaited transition of vehicles from petroleum powered to electric, there is movement in the alternative energy production industry not seen since the Carter administration, and technology like V2Grid is becoming a household term (well almost).  We are seeing a rethinking of our energy production and consumption dynamics in a way that could radically reshape our country.

As I see the financial meltdown consuming the headlines I can't help but look towards the impending revolution in how we apply technology, specifically green technology, to our industrial output.  I love development in green technology because it alone can reshape the character of the US in the global marketplace.  We have been shipping jobs and off-shoring work for thirty years at an increasing pace as the technologies that we have developed have become commonplace and trivial to replicate around the world.  

Investing deeply in alternative energy gives the US the opportunity to develop new technologies that cannot easily be mimicked, that will lead to new science and technology research, and to the creation of the types of jobs and industry that are desirable and not easily transferred halfway around the world.  However, the world moves fast, and if we are caught flat footed we'll miss our chance to have the world look to us for these technologies, and instead we'll be picking up the leftover scraps from under the table.  Let's make a commitment to lead this revolution, I don't think it is an opportunity that our country can afford to miss.