Google can see the future

Google, whose energy initiatives and investments have always impressed me, yesterday released an energy innovation analysis that uses a model they built with McKinsey to forecast global power production mixes by different energy technologies in 2030. The analysis is available in a report [PDF] and interactive website that allows users to consider different potential energy mixes. Their technology pathways depend largely on breakthroughs and policies, the various combinations of which result in varying degrees of clean energy deployed in the future (#NoDuh).

Teryn Norris at Americans for Energy Leadership lauded the analysis and Google's willingness to bring energy innovation to the spotlight.

[The] implication is loud and clear: U.S. policy should seek to unleash clean energy technology innovation as rapidly as possible...Google’s report is a much-welcomed addition to the debate that opens up a whole new lens for evaluating various energy policy proposals, and it offers a message that clean energy and climate advocates across the board would be wise to take seriously.

Walter Frick at the New England Clean Energy Council has another take on Google's release, emphasizing that policy is an absolutely essential addition to technological breakthroughs.

Technology has an extremely important role to play. But policy that incents the development and deployment of clean energy and discourages the use and further deployment of fossil energy is also essential.

It is very encouraging to see a major player like Google getting front and center in the global energy innovation effort.