I say kudos too. But plug-in hybrids or CF wouldn't qualify I am afraid. Unless I misunderstood the rules, what Branson is after is a technology to pump the CO2 out of the atmosphere, not to reduce emissions.
Michel ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jed Rothwell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <vortex-L@eskimo.com> Sent: Friday, February 16, 2007 3:54 PM Subject: Re: [Vo]: Re: The $25 Million Branson Climate Prize > Nick Palmer wrote: > >>Robin from Oz wrote:- >><<I wouldn't get too hung up on this prize. It looks more like Branson buying >>cheap advertising.>> >> >>Right, of course. A true solution would still be good value at $1 >>billion dollars or maybe even $1 trillion > > It would take billions or perhaps trillions of dollars to implement a > solution, but $25 million might be a great help to someone trying to > scale up a potential solution, or convert it from a prototype to > something practical. For example, suppose Branson awards this to a > plug-in hybrid research company, or to a company that has > demonstrated an array of 5 prototype solar-thermal stirling engine > generators. Research in these two areas is still done on a small > scale, and $25 million would still be a big contribution. Both have > been demonstrated in practical devices, although not in mass-produced > devices. They could both reduce fossil fuel consumption > significantly. I think solar-electric is promising for places like > Los Angeles or Saudi Arabia, and on a large scale it would greatly > reduce coal consumption. > > For cold fusion $25 million would be like manna from heaven, needless > to say. But it ain't happening. Branson has never heard of cold > fusion, and if he does hear of it, his scientific advisors will tell > him that it is fraud, lunacy, all a mistake, etc., etc. > > So, I say kudos to Branson. One kudo, anyway. Or as the Japanese say, > kudoi! (Enough already!) > > - Jed >
