America tends to assume Silicon Valley-style innovators can drive quick and transformative changes, but even Silicon Valley's would-be masters of the universe have discovered that energy transitions are subject to time spans and technical constraints that defy their reach.
Interpretation
Innovation in technology does not guarantee immediate change due to various limitations.
This quote by Vaclav Smil highlights the misconception that tech innovators, especially from Silicon Valley, can easily enact rapid and transformative changes in energy transitions. It emphasizes the reality that such transformations are constrained by time and technical challenges that innovation alone cannot overcome, suggesting a more nuanced understanding of the complexities involved in energy change.
In practice
A business leader could use this quote to discuss the realistic challenges their tech company faces in innovating energy solutions.
I've read about 80 books a year for the past 50 years. I come from cultural breeding. I don't have a cellphone. When you spend all your time checking your cellphone messages, or updating your Facebook (of course I don't have a Facebook page) then you don't have any time for reading.
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