« Flexcar to Test Student Program at U of P | Main | Urgency of Transportation Funding Problem »
August 7, 2006
A Glimmer of Hope from Wall Street
This week's Business Week has an interesting article suggesting that Wall Street is tripping over itself to invest in alternative energy technologies.
But it also says that the results may be a while in coming. It likens this trend to investing in computers in the 1970's.
Posted by Chris Smith at 12:00 AM
Comments
August 7, 2006 9:47 AM
adron Says:
Now if only the subsidies would quit killing off private investment in Mass Transit. That'd be kewl. :)
I question this alternative fuels investment rush too, as most of it is heavily subsidized meaning there is little to zero actual positive cashflow for now or in the prospective future.
It's gonna take 5-10 years to see real market based alternatives become viable, IF they ever do, and then another 5-15 years to make them a positive cash flow.
August 7, 2006 6:52 PM
Ron Swaren Says:
We may see results sooner than you anticipate. I just ordered an 80 mpg motorscooter today and the salesman said he couldn't keep up with the calls. Last week I was enthralled by the news on the forthcoming "157 mpg" German built, LOREMO vehicle---supposed to be out by 2009, and searching the http://www.greencarcongress.com/ site it is obvious that most other countries are struggling with the burden of rising fuel costs.
So will the US throw up trade barriers? A better question might be "Can they in a globalized economy.?"
High Mpg diesels, plug in hybrids, alternative fuels, oh my...
I do think that the possibility of preserving the personal vehicle as transportation mode of choice, especially in Portland, throws a wrench in METRO's dream of carless communities. ( Not to speak of other contingencies, they are forgetting) Nobody said planning was simple....
And here's another idea to chew on: http://www.greencarcongress.com/2005/02/ldquoextremerdq.html
