Most Renewable Energy Supporters Have Profit-Related Motives, Though That’s Not a Bad Thing

In response to my piece about ExxonMobil and climate change, frequent commenter MarcoPolo indicates that there are people on both sides of the fossil fuel/global warming issue whose motives are impure, and some who lie, cheat and steal.

I know for a fact that some people (probably most) involved in renewable energy are there for the money; I meet them at conferences constantly, and they’re completely unabashed about it.  “We’re here because this is where the money is,” they tell me proudly.  Personally, I don’t see anything there about which to be proud, but there is certainly no evil associated with trying to make money as long as it’s done with honesty and decency.

The fact that renewable energy has captured the interests of Big Money is actually a good thing. 10 years ago this was a hobby; now it’s an industry.  That’s an important step in the right direction.

I also understand that there is malfeasance on the part of some; I encounter a great amount of that in my daily life as a reviewer of clean energy business plans.  There are some amazing frauds out there in terms of the development of new (phony) ideas, as well as those scheming to rip off the government.  Generally, I point out to them that they’re headed in the direction of a lengthy prison term and leave it at that.

Re: Tom Steyer (pictured), I personally think it’s cool that he’s using a part of his $1 billion+ net worth to educate people as to what’s up environmentally and to vote accordingly.  IMO, he’s the anti-matter of the Koch Brothers, and, in that regard, he has my full support.

Again, it’s unclear to me how an intelligent and decent person such as yourself can fail to support environmental causes on this rapidly deteriorating planet.  But hey, lots of things are unclear to me….