Innovation Requires Reward It Seems

In order for people to want something, it most likely will give them a direct benefit, right away. The problem with energy innovation and the development of clean technologies is that people are not motivated. Although most educated people know that clean energy technologies are necessary for the future of our planet, nobody seems overly motivated to do anything about it. This little problem can be solved by our government. They must begin to give rewards to companies or inventors who can come up with new energy technologies. According to Christine Parthemore, a researcher on energy and environmental security issues, she believes increasing the demand for new energy sources by both the government and citizens would stimulate economic growth and create many new jobs. According to her article, "By the U.S. government’s own calculations, producing 20 percent of the nation’s energy with wind power by 2030 could directly create at least 150,000 new jobs." Imagine the potential for new jobs if we can push that 20 percent to 50 or 75 percent. We must push that percentage to 100! Oil fields will begin to run dry soon pushing the prices of gasoline higher and higher at which point it would be more beneficial for the government and us as citizens to demand a change to sustainable energy resources. Parthemore goes on to state in her article that the Pentagon is currently hosting a competition for which it is offering a prize. 169 teams entered ranging from large companies to small companies to two brothers trying to invent in their garage. The leveraging of the U.S. government to demand new technologies clearly will have a great impact on changing our future.

Source:http://www.ajc.com/services/content/printedition/2008/11/05/parthemoreed.html