WEF2008.2.6 Energy Sector Dinner
February 04, 2008 by Chris | permalink
The Energy Sector had its annual dinner high above Davos in the Shatzalp Hotel [www.schatzalp.ch]. It is a stunning venue at any time. The format of the dinner was simple: mill about and chat, sit down, three short talks, eat, responses, discussion, go back down the mountain. It was a fascinating and delightful evening. I was invited to be one of the responders.
JERRY LINENGER, US Astronaut and Mir Cosmonaut, spoke of his time in the station. he spoke of the visceral connection that you have when you are in space and looking down at the thin layer of blue which allows us to live on the planet. he is an amazing speaker who has a very important message.
BERTRAND PICCARD, physicist and balloonist, spoke of his flight. his current focus is on sustainable transport. he talked about the certainties, habits and assumptions that we make in life and how they related to a successful balloon flight. in flight you are a 'prisoner of the wind' which means that you have to 'change altitutde' to get new ideas and influences. 'Ballast is our old context.' so you have to get rid of some of that ballast if you are to move up to get a different wind that will take you in the direction which you need to go. he is currently focused on solar flight. he want to make an airplane which can circumnavigate the globe on solar power alone. a difficult task considering that night flight does not recharge the battery. he also stated my WEF take away about the difference between Dreams and Visions.....
DREAMS END WHEN YOU WAKE UP
VISIONS START WHEN YOU WAKE UP
VINOD KHOSLA - venture capitalist - His talk was all about 'how to make the impossible possible'. at the time i found him really difficult. but looking back at the evening and my notes, i think that he is/was really on to something. every time someone says 'thats impossible' then it is a challenge which could/must be met. he went on with 'what is possible, is what we believe is possible'. he continued with our four challenges to confront climate change:
1. replace oil
2. replace coal
3. replace steel
4. replace cement
he is working on the first one by funding four start-ups developing cellulosic methanol/biofuel technologies. he pointed out that in order for them to be successful, green technologies must be cheaper than unsubsidized oil. he feels that he will find a way in which to make a cell which can eat anything and excrete diesel. he closed with 'we need to think not outside the box, but rather outside the barrel.
The discussion at my table was broad ranging. in general, it was agreed that biofuels would be vital to the world's economy. however, the biggest problem was the creation of enough to satisfy the global thirst. it was agreed that the demand side had to be better managed, especially in consumer behavior and buildings. 'time is our opponent' was a great way to wrap this evening up.
