Thus, the only way that even highly efficient solid-state cooling can be used to eliminate CO2 additions to the atmosphere is to eliminate fossil fuels from the energy production system.

I’m really not sure that ARPA-E is the right kind of energy program. Most of the funds are funneled to private companies, not to basic R&D development, and even more troublesome is what happens to the patents in these ARPA-E projects.

For a similar example, take the public-private partnership to collect termite gut genes for aid in cellulosic ethanol production. This was pitched as a wonderful thing, good for everyone – but what actually happened?

The Costa Rica Biodiversity Institute, the Department of Energy’s Joint Genome Institute, the University of California, Verenium Corporation, and BP… that’s what happened. The genes were collected and patented with taxpayer dollars, but a private party ended up in control of the gene patents – and sold them to BP for $100 million. Who loses? The taxpayer and every startup company that might have wanted access to that intellectual property to help develop biofuel production lines.

That’s how the DOE operates, unfortunately – and all with no peer review when it comes to deciding which projects get funded and which don’t. ARPA-E is just more of the same – what is really needed is a truly independent National Institute of Energy, or National Energy Science Foundation – one that’s not controlled by the fossil fuel industry. I mean, BP’s Chief Scientist, Steve Koonin, is currently in charge of all science operations at the DOE, under Secretary Chu. BP has been attacking and blocking independent science efforts in the Gulf of Mexico for months now – so why hasn’t their Chief Scientist been asked to resign from his DOE position?