Friday, January 16, 2009

Energy pick ardent about climate change


A decade or so ago, his brother says, Chu began to take an interest in global warming and energy supply. Those close to Chu can't explain exactly how he came to seize on these issues, but with typical intensity, he quickly came up to speed and became passionate about them.

Chu coauthored a 2007 report about energy that in part concluded:

"What the world does in the coming decade will have enormous consequences that will last for centuries. It is imperative that we begin without further delay."

Chu is "arrogant" with a "we-know-best attitude," says Ignacio Chapela, a UC Berkeley ecologist who clashed with Chu over Chu's plan for the university and the Lawrence Berkeley lab to take part in a research effort funded by energy giant BP.

"Chu will … want to implement his own policies. So there's this potential for conflict," says Patzek, who clashed with Chu for the Nobelist's enthusiasm for biofuels, gasoline substitutes derived from plants. "I actually don't know why he agreed to do this."

[Obama's 'moderate' energy {remember? the position's about securing the energy we need} czar...]

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