The debate that Rob touched on last week [0] rages on: Are biofuels bad for the BOP?

An article on SocialFunds.com recaps some of the controversy. [1]

Audeamus says the price hikes on staple crops will be temporary [2]

President Lula claims biofuels are good for poor nations because it will allow them to become energy exporters [3].

The overall takeaway seems to be that there is no magical solution to our numerous energy problems - environmental issues, lack of access, clean energy costs, etc. No one source seems to have the potential to address all of the demands of a sustainable, pro-poor energy policy, at least from where our current technology stands. Future energy challenges are going to require a major investment in new research - what is the role of the private sector? I wanted to point out an interesting way forward [4] mentioned briefly on peHUB. Kirk Washington laments that a broad based energy solution will have to come from the giants in the industry, the Exxons and the Shells - companies that are typically slow moving and averse to the kind of risky innovation we need to boost new clean energy solutions.

Kirk advocates a partnership approach where large corporations support venture capitalists in vetting clean energy startup companies for the best models. Once the "winners" have been picked, technology solutions that could work on a national or global level, the large companies incubate those business models and take their solutions to scale.

A partnership of VCs and multi-nationals supporting SMEs like Enersud [4] and Electrocell [4] sounds like a pretty good way to find the next big energy technology breakthrough while supporting small entrepreneurs. Thoughts?