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Could 'Berkeley Greens' and 'Bakersfield Browns' collaborate to produce energy?

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Freakonomics.com

The guys behind the "Freakonomics" media franchise (books, web, radio, film) have namedropped Bakersfield in an interesting podcast about green technology, so-called "conspicous conservation" and Republicans in Central California, more specifically Bakersfield.

The idea -- as laid out in a paper written by Alison and Steve Sexton, a pair of doctoral economics students at UC Berkeley -- is confusing, so follow along step by step:

* Foggy Berkeley doesn't get as much sun as Bakersfield.

* Those Berkeley Greens are more likely to engage in "conspicuous conservation," or lifestyle choices that publicly proclaim their support for environmental causes (i.e. driving a Prius).

* Republicans in Bakersfield -- aka "Bakersfield Browns" - are less likely than "Berkeley Greens" to pay a premium for environmental technology that makes them feel good, as opposed to strictly saving money.

* Would "Berkeley Greens" be willing to pay for solar panels on the homes of "Bakersfield Browns" unwilling to pay a premium for "green" technology?

The Sextons' thinking is that Berkeley Greens unable to maximize a solar investment at home could subsidize one in Bakersfield, thus generating more solar power and getting them a warm feeling than they're helping to save the planet.

Here's Steve Sexton in his own words:

"The sun does shine on the rooftops of all the Republicans, for lack of a better term, Browns, that live in the Central Valley. They get a lot of sun in the summer. But they're going to be less inclined to install the rooftop solar panels on their homes.

"So we might like to imagine a creative program whereby your Berkeley Green who doesn't get very much sun in the summer could pay to install rooftop solar on the home of a Bakersfield Brown, and therefore, again, maximize the effectiveness of those conservation dollars, and get more energy conservation, or energy production in this case, out of the solar panels.

"The problem with this, of course, is then that that Berkeley Green isn't able to demonstrate to their neighbor that they're making this investment in conservation."

Freakonomics' Stephen J. Dubner, then responds:

"Then you just have to be able to buy a big billboard in your yard that says, 'My solar panels are on a Republican's house in Bakersfield.' And then everyone would be happy?"

Seems like a farfetched idea, but who knows.

What do you think?

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