What is the solution to Americas energy problem?
Bolsinger: That’s an omnibus question, isn’t it? There has to be a broad portfolio of conclusions. One thing that is a particular weakness is the ability of our grid to accept all these different alternatives [like wind and solar power]. It’s going to take both hardware and software to fix it. With a smart meter, homeowners can make choices about how much energy they use. Or, alternatively, the utilities can reach into the homes and shut unnecessary things off—maybe it’s the thermostat or the refrigerator, which might not be needed for 10 minutes at a time. A lot of GE’s green products are improvements of existing technology. Don’t we need a truly disruptive technology, like a hydrogen fuel cell, to give us the necessary quantum jump? It depends on how you think about the quantum jump. We have made a quantum leap in getting a 15 percent more efficient jet engine. However, we all know that the aviation industry is growing at 4 to 5 percent a year, so they’ll gobble that up pretty quickl
