Mercury News interview: Energy Secretary Steven Chu

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http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14664957?nclick_check=1

Mercury News interview: Energy Secretary Steven Chu

By Dana Hull

[email protected]
Posted: 03/12/2010 02:28:14 PM PST
Updated: 03/12/2010 03:44:40 PM PST

Energy Secretary Steven Chu, a vocal advocate for alternative energy and nuclear power, was in Silicon Valley earlier this week to talk about the role of clean energy in combating global climate change. He also discussed the stiff competition the United States faces from China, which is moving quickly to close down inefficient coal plants as well as nurturing its fast-growing wind and solar industries.

His official biography on the Department of Energy web site spells out the tall order that is his job: "He is charged with helping implement President Obama's ambitious agenda to invest in alternative and renewable energy, end our addiction to foreign oil, address the global climate crisis and create millions of new jobs."

Chu had a private meeting with clean tech executives and venture capitalists and gave a public talk at Stanford University, where he taught physics for several years. Chu also met with Mercury News reporters and editors; here is an edited transcript of the conversation.

Q: You may have seen the Tom Friedman column about Calera (a startup that recycles power plant emissions into a raw material for cement) and Bloom Energy (a startup that creates fuel cells). How does the Department of Energy monitor companies like that along with other innovations like electric cars?

A: So let's talk about Calera ... it's great. Will it solve the carbon dioxide problem? No. It's part of the solution, but we don't use that much cement. Bloom Energy, that one is very interesting. It's a solid oxide fuel cell that can operate on either hydrogen or natural gas and make electricity. K.R. Sridhar (Bloom's CEO) says the cost is 10 or 12 cents a kilowatt hour, which is getting interesting, but that's wholesale, and with the government subsidies. I don't like those "with the subsidy" numbers — what I'd rather see is without the subsidies. But they are just starting, and I assume if it really works the cost will come down. We are investing in solid oxide fuel cells, and we're watching that very closely.

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