Green technology must become competitive! Direct research and development should be encouraged! The use of techno/economic calculations – cost benefit analysis – must be encouraged.
New environmental technology must be efficient so that in the long run it is economically viable. Windmills are now being heavily subsidized, and so are solar cell panels in many countries. This subsidized activity can be seen as a research and development activity, but it must eventually lead to new efficient solutions.
To make new technology economically acceptable we can tax the old solutions so that the solutions are economically comparable. Studies have shown that a small tax on petrol – about 0,012 Euro pr. liter in addition to present taxes – will make up for it´s climatic influences. This is not much!
But this kind of thinking will not lead to changes in what we do! It will just make it possible to buy more inefficient windmills and solar panels.
The solution is to use more money for research and development directly in the development of efficient green technology. Research budget should be increased, not subsidies. This is the only way we can make progress!
Initially the power produced will be too expensive to compete, so who is paying? This question must find a solution as part of the financing of projects.
Who is willing to pay for expensive energy like wind-power? Maybe we have to develop not-so-cheap power because the environmental challenges are so overwhelming? Who is analysing and making a coherent policy?
