Renewable Energy

This weeks reading consisted of multiple case studies regarding energy sources. In class tonight we discussed the innovation of renewable energy in China, India and Brazil. We highlighted "new energy" sources such as Wind, Solar, and Coal power. While wind and solar are much more efficient and cleaner than coal, coal is much less expensive. China for example has mainly employed clean coal technology, but is also one of the world leader's in solar production. Also, China has become an industry leader in producing electric and hybrid vehicles. India, on the other hand, has had very little concentration on wind power and has focused their country's attention to the future of their solar power industry. The environment in India makes for the perfect solar power industry. In Brazil, we saw that rather than wind or solar, their main sources of energy were hydroelectric power and ethanol. We also discussed the issue of deforestation. With most of these industries we saw common themes and government regulations that promoted domestic markets. While these renewable energies can be costly, they produce a lot more energy. Without question, renewable energies are the future of energy use in the world. The question is how these technologies will be developed and deployed in certain areas of the world. While companies have made lucrative businesses out of these technologies, there has been very little commercialization and controversy has arisen. Why won't China adapt cleaner energies compared to their heavy industrial coal use? Why is wind power better than solar power in some places (and vice versa)? what are the economic, social, and political benefits on new energy technologies? Renewable energy remains a question of the future and only time will tell how societies adopt different types of energy.

An Edible History of Humanity - Tom Standage

In class, November 22, we discussed Tom Standage’s report, An Edible History of Humanity. In the reading, Standage introduces the invention of ammonia on the industrial scale and research on crossbreeding of crops to help increase the crop yield. These innovations significantly helped reduce world problems such as starvation and malnutrition, which serve the first Millennium Developmental Goal. With a continuation of research and development in the agricultural industry, we could alleviate greater numbers of people starving and malnutrition. Some of the questions posed in class pertained to how India has adopted the new agricultural method years ago but why are so many people in India starving of hunger? Also how the heavy usage of fertilizers is contaminating rivers and streams with chemicals, how can people fix this problem?

Health Technology Access and Diffusion

This week’s readings focused on access to health technologies in developing countries and the hierarchies involved in the adoption of these new products. Architecture, availability, affordability and adoption are four determinants of access that must work simultaneously to ensure success. Several “findings” were mentioned in the reading, a few of which are the following: The success of a product depends on its support by a product champion that constructs and manages the architecture of success. Product champions must also create expert consensus about health technologies. Producers in general should greatly consider users’ adoption of technologies, focus on being cost effective and employ supply side strategies to increase availability. Overall, for a technology to be successfully implemented and sustained, solid infrastructure must be present, the technology must be affordable and easily accessible, and “consumers must have the desire and knowledge to use this technology”. The latter portion of our reading looked into the individuals and organizations that play a role in influencing the adoption or refusal of new technologies. The input of hospitals, manufacturers, doctors, public regulators and private parties make sure that a product put on the market is well received.