DEC 11

Dr. Steven Chu, President-elect Obama’s recent choice as the next Secretary of Energy, is going to have a lot of responsibility on his shoulders. Obama has made energy a top priority, and it is going to be largely up to Chu to help figure out exactly HOW to develop our renewable capacity, reduce dependency on oil, reduce carbon dioxide emissions, etc.

But even if Obama had not personally advocated energy issues to the extent that he has, the position of Secretary of Energy is simply much more important in 2008 than it ever was before. For all intents and purposes, Dr. Chu will be the first Secretary of Energy to take office in a world where clean tech is a reality, not just a dream.

So who is this guy?

Well he’s no dummy, that’s for sure. He got undergrad degrees in math and physics, got a PhD in physics from Berkeley, served as a professor and department chair of physics at Stanford, as well as the director of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Oh yeah, and he also won the Nobel Prize in 1997. Not too shabby.

More to the point, he loves renewable energy. At LBNL, Dr. Chu helped kick off the Helios Project, a DOE-funded research effort to develop solar energy and biological-based fuels. The project endorses a broad strategy which involves looking into multiple areas – carbon sequestration, cellulosic fuel, geothermal energy, and improving efficiency. He doesn’t believe one technology will solve our problems, and he seems to have a good sense of which technologies should be employed when.

I think what’s most likeable about Dr. Chu is that, from listening to him speak, you get the sense that he is simply a scientist trying to do what is best for the world, with no hidden motives. His approach to the issues is honest and straightforward – let’s give people the energy they need in a way that is good for the country and possible with available technology. Of course, high ranking political positions can get to a man’s head (cough), but at least for the time being it’s nice to know that the nation’s energy future is being led by a man with optimism and ideals.

If you want to get a better sense of who he is, check out this video of a lecture he gave about the Helios Project, and energy issues in general.

Comments (6)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

...
written by dialtone, December 11, 2008

the future looks bright with a guy like this; now a suggestion - use the Anything Into Oil process from Changing World Technologies to turn all non metal waste streams into oil - including all sewage solids- grow industrial hemp on land not suited for food crops - grow salt tolerant plants in the desert irrigated with salt water - turn all of this into oil - you could even pump some of this into the ground to sequester carbon - I have no ties whatsoever with CWT - just want to see their process used everywhere that garbage or waste is being dumped, buried or burned - there is a better way & they have it - this is just for starters of course - I would love to see windpower, wavepower & geothermal used & anything else that can provide energy

• 
• +0
• 
• 

...
written by It's About Time, December 11, 2008

Finally! He has a brain! Is this a sign for US to turn into an intelligent, sensible and functional country? No more lame excuses, unjust justice, and disgusting greed dictating this nation? I sure hope this happens soon.

• 
• +0
• 
• 

Remember a couple weeks ago
written by Ormolov, December 11, 2008

when another Nobel winner, Al Gore, was going to be Energy Secretary or Climate Czar? There was a palpable sense of disappointment when he appeared to turn down one of these key positions.

Enter Steven Chu. A couple weeks later we've gone from good to perfect. We were hoping to be reassured by a Gore appointment. Chu surpasses reassurance. Now we can be inspired.

• 
• +0
• 
• 

Can we trust him?
written by Bugsy, December 12, 2008

How can we be sure that this guy won't be selling our green tech secrets to China?

• 
• +0
• 
• 

...
written by Baggers, December 13, 2008

Bugsy that was a joke right?...please say that was some kind of humour that didn't make the transition across the international punch-line because if not your a very scary person.

• 
• +0
• 
• 

...
written by tinabeans, December 17, 2008

if anything, shouldn't we be HOPING china gets its hands on some green technology soon? even if the us greens up, china's not helping things by continuing to dump tons of co2 and other crap into the atmosphere we all share.

• 
• +0
• 
• 

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (registered users only)

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment