Setting an aggressive enough carbon-reduction goal will result in an appropriate price for carbon and will help many a renewable technology. Consumer education will help. Most importantly, though, will be the continually declining cost trajectory of the real breakthrough in clean-technology costs driven by research and innovation. In the end, private capital is the real barometer of change.

Imagine the world of mobile based on Nokia and Motorola if Apple had not been restarted by a missionary entrepreneur named Steve Jobs who cared more for his vision than being tactical and financial.

Electric cars are coal-powered cars. Their carbon emissions can be worse than gasoline-powered cars.

The only way you multiply resources is with technology. To really affect poverty, energy, health, education, or anything else - there is no other way.

Oil replacements and then efficiencies in engines and housing and the way we build houses is a very interesting market.

Entrepreneurs have the flexibility and the ability to do things that large companies simply cannot. Could a large company pull off a trick like Amyris, going from anti-malaria medicine to next-generation fuel?

Everybody else is afraid to fail. I do not really care because when I fail, I try something new.