A Call for Ingenuity

The desire for clean energy is prompting an influx of talent and resources into the field of clean energy, says the Washington Post:

As policymakers promote alternative energy sources to reduce the United States' emissions of greenhouse gases and its dependence on foreign oil, entrepreneurs are becoming increasingly inventive about finding novel ways to power the economy.

Beyond solar power and wind, which is America's most developed renewable-energy sector, a host of companies are exploring a variety of more obscure technologies. Researchers are trying to come up with ways to turn algae into diesel fuel. In landfills, startups are attempting to wring energy out of waste such as leaves, tires and "car fluff" from junked automobiles.

From the admittedly narrow perspective of those of us in the legal academy, this also opens the prospect of interesting collaborations between IP and environmental scholars.