Yet another government backed green energy company goes bankrupt

[jcoosi]

Heard on the news company A123 which makes batteries for electric cars went bankrupt. They received around 250 million from state and federal government. This is nothing new as they join the long list of failed green companies that received government backing. I think alternative energy is a good idea but its not affordable for most people. I dont know the answer but until its gets affordable for everyone I think green energy is just pissing money away.

[jtluttrell]

I think its time will come, but it's either not yet economically viable or demand is too low. That's the problem with government initiatives like this. If a large enough market emerges, the free market will pursue it.

[MacGyver]

The problem is that we've not really had an honest conversation about what "green energy" looks like. And, that has to start by stepping back a bit.

I don't care how you frame it, battery powered tech isn't terribly green, nor is it expandable to fit the broader needs of our economy. Despite the seeming coolness of it, the mining, processing and manufacturing of batteries is dirty. Really dirty. At every single step. The VOCs emitted by an internal combustion engine over it's life cycle don't come anywhere close to the environmental damage of making the batteries to run one hybrid.

And, that doesn't even factor in demand. We can keep up so long as only hippies who don't understand the concept of fungible commodities are buying them. But, the supply chain isn't very deep for heavy metals. There simply aren't enough of them out there to fill a wider demand.

[MacGyver]

Probably my favorite Dilbert of all time

[jcoosi]

The problem is that we've not really had an honest conversation about what "green energy" looks like. And, that has to start by stepping back a bit.

I don't care how you frame it, battery powered tech isn't terribly green, nor is it expandable to fit the broader needs of our economy. Despite the seeming coolness of it, the mining, processing and manufacturing of batteries is dirty. Really dirty. At every single step. The VOCs emitted by an internal combustion engine over it's life cycle don't come anywhere close to the environmental damage of making the batteries to run one hybrid.

And, that doesn't even factor in demand. We can keep up so long as only hippies who don't understand the concept of fungible commodities are buying them. But, the supply chain isn't very deep for heavy metals. There simply aren't enough of them out there to fill a wider demand.

I agree but like you said having a true conversation on green energy will have to be had.

[E4 No More]

It's my understanding that this company supplies the batteries for the Chevrolet Volt? See a connection there?

[RobertNashville]

Currently, we have an administration filled with people who have never held a real job and have no clue how the free enterprise system actually works. Moreover, they have an agenda that has no roots in common sense or any other tangible basis and they have to keep one of their primary contingencies happy (i.e. environmental wackos). Given that, is it any wonder that they have found numerous ways to waste my and your money on funding bad "green" business ideas???

There are real "green" technologies out there that can reduce our use of oil and can benefit the environment but right now, the government is in the business of picking winners and losers but they are finding that the "winners" they are picking aren't winning even with lots of government money.

Edited October 17, 2012 by RobertNashville