[farorm]

What I don't get is why policy makers doesn't see this as an opportunity for economic growth. Just start taxing emission and invest heavily in green technology and we could be on our way to start a new industrial revolution!

[dmix]

The US government's investments in both solar power and clean coal have been either failures or ended up costs wayyy more and taking twice as long. Typical of modern government projects but still bad enough where just saying "throw tax dollars at green tech" isn't as straight-forward solution as it seems.

Why not reduce taxes for corporations building green tech? And provide R&D credit to pay the salaries of engineers working on the problem? Reduce capital gains taxes on investments in green tech? Make it easier for really smart immigrants to come to the US to work on the problem? Create a commission who's job is to review and simplify/eliminate/modernize regulations to reduce barriers to entry in the marketplace? etc.

There are lots of ways to incentivize industry to solve this problem instead of adding more taxes and hoping the government works as a good VC.

The Canadian government tried (and is trying) the angel investor/VC thing here and it hasn't worked at all well. They do stuff like matching investments of other angels or giving loans to entrepreneurs. I'd much rather they made it easier for me to start and run a company by reducing the stuff they are already doing instead of doing more things... like pretending they are private investors. For example, they recently announced a Startup Founder Visa which I think is a great idea and a step in the right direction: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/business/start-up/

[nostrademons]

Not really sure about that. The cost of solar has come down dramatically and the technology has made huge strides in efficiency, largely because of the government subsidies. Sure, it's a financial failure for the government, but usually government subsidies are not intended to run a profit (lest the government be accused of profiteering or crowding out private investment).

[ZeroGravitas]

A call for a carbon tax is the free market solution.

Resistance to it just redirects efforts into exactly the kind of thing you are railing against.

Most carbon tax proposals a) have stopped using the word tax as people have a visceral, but non-logical reaction to it, b) are designed to be revenue neutral, since raising money is not the point, but changing behaviour, and so cut other taxes so that it balances out.

[izend]

It isn't that simple when there isn't a global agreement on taxing emission, look at what is happening in Ontario:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-electricity-pl...

[llukas]

Ontario generates 93% of electricity from non-CO2 generating sources. They still signed contracts to add 18000 MW of renewable power in 20 years.

Cancelling 1000MW contract in that light doesnt seem so horrible.

[davesque]

Three words: oil industry lobbyists.

[draggnar]

Actually I think it's one word: China. Companies are competing on a global scale.

[alttab]

Only part of the equation.

[CountSessine]

What I don't get is why private industry doesn't see this as an opportunity for economic growth. Just start manufacturing green technology free of government incentives and subsidies and we could be on our way to a new industrial revolution!

[jomamaxx]

"What I don't get is why private industry doesn't see this as an opportunity for economic growth."

There are thousands of companies trying. The inherent problem is that solar and wind are generally crap ways to make it work.

If you live near the equator, and don't regularly have access to electricity, and need a panel to power your TV for a few hours a day - then that's 'impact' but in the West it's really, really hard to make work.

[andys627]

Policy makers are "put in office" by those that would pay these taxes.

[josu]

While this is true, I think that there is much more to it. FinTech is taking business away from one of the strongest lobbies in the world, the financial sector, and the regulators all around the world seem to be embracing it, even bitcoin.

[aaron695]

Or you could bury gold bars really deep and people could develop technology to dig it up to start a new industrial revolution!

Not saying it won't work, just be aware of what you are suggesting.

[artursapek]

Lobbying.