Steve Chu, Energy Secretary: Greentech World Likely To Approve

By Michael Kanellos

Steve Chu–the Nobel Prize winning physicist who runs the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab–has been selected to become the U.S. Secretary of Energy, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The appointment will likely be hailed by a large number of people in the greentech world. Chu left Stanford to become the director of the Berkeley lab in 2004 so that he could help promote energy research within the federal government. He has been one of the driving forces behind the effort to commercialize technologies developed inside the national labs and at the University of California.

One of Chu’s big accomplishments has been the $500 million research pact between the University of California-Berkeley, the University of Illinois and petroleum giant BP. (Steve Koonin, BP’s chief scientist formerly with Caltech, was also instrumental in that deal.)

Chu speaks often at greentech events, warning about the dangers of global warming, the need for more research and the economic benefits of developing a green industry.

He’s also great to interview. Here’s a lengthy one he gave me in 2006.

Comments

[Tom B:]

Great to have someone with a brain headed to that position instead of some washed-up political crony!

2008 Dec 11 09:10 AM

[123andy:]

Tom B, I like Chou for undersecretary of science and technology, but for Energy Secretary? Have you looked up the vita of the current Energy Secretary? Hardly a washed-up political crony. Someone who is an engineeer by training, has run a business, supported science and technology.

2008 Dec 11 09:16 AM

[SubsidyEye:]

I agree with 123andy. A brilliant physicist he may well be. But his command of agricultural economics is no better than the rest. Yet he has been almost a zealot in defence of corn ethanol and the policies that support it.

2008 Dec 11 10:01 AM

[Mmarrkk:]

Since an overwhelming portion of our current and near/mid term energy comes from oil, gas and coal, having a global warming kool-aid drinker is a real treat! BTW, since its snowing in Houston and on the beach in Galveston, I guess that global warming thing is working out pretty darned good isn't it??

Someone who is an academic mind, even a strong one, should not be over a department that needs a balance between theoretical, idealistic and business needs. Get ready for that $4 gasoline again...it will come back and with eggheads running energy, I'll guess our energy policy won't include common sense solutions for the near/mid term.

2008 Dec 11 10:03 AM