Green Industries Initiative

Or so said John Doerr at the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works briefing titled, "Investing in Green Technology as a Strategy for Economic Recovery."  The noted venture capitalist, a partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Buyers, urged Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and the committee to encourage the enactment of vital policies to ensure speed and scale in addressing green technology.  Advocating for a unified national smart grid and a price on carbon/carbon emissions, among other policy objectives he identified as vital, Mr. Doerr stressed that the United States must account for the cost of emitting greenhouse gases.  Stating that, "battery-breakthrough's are the holy grail of greentech," Mr. Doerr cautioned that ingenuity and entrepreneurship must be fostered and developed domestically so that the United States is not left in the dust of its global competitors.  Mr. Doerr's remarks followed the introduction by Tom Friedman, author of Hot, Flat and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution, who in colorful terms described the need to simulate massive innovation by a price signal.  Mr. Friedman did not advocate for a mechanism but prescribed that it must be accurate in speed, scope and scale.   After all, he reminded the panel, Green IS the new Red, White and Blue.  For a full replay of the hearing, go to http://epw.senate.gov/public/ under the "majority" page and view the recent webcast.