Web 2.0 Goes Green,Silicon Valley Enters Washington

The last Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco confirmed a new stage for Silicon Valley. In these times of crisis, the information geniuses were more preoccupied with environmental innovations. At the same time, Barack Obama’s election should see some Silicon Valley reps as part of the presidential team, as he maintained during his campaign.

It all began in November 2004 when Silicon Valley editor Tim O’Reilly popularized the concept Web 2.0, invented by his team, while organizing the first Web 2.0 Summit. For three days the participants of the conference felt a new stage in the Internet being introduced, without really being able to define it. The buzz, so expensive in silicon Valley, had been launched.

Google had just been introduced to the stock market, the Internet bubble seemed to have been absorbed. It was the perfect moment for inventing an umbrella word, like Web 2.0, to characterize a new technological cycle. Those who use them adore these new services, and flock in millions to sign in to such sites as Facebook or MySpace, unknown before.

The atmosphere was quite different at the Web 2.0 Summit that was held in San Francisco from the 5th until the 7th of November 2008 . At first not much was said of Web 2.0. Silicon Valley’s big wheels, Google, MySpace, Facebook, were there, but they either didn’t have much to say or they talked about something else. Google sent Larry Brilliant, Executive Director Google.org, to talk about the company’s charity projects. Very far from Internet. The atmosphere was ambiguous and gloomy for reasons of conjecture or structure.

Conjecture, because the economy is doing very badly. Mary Meeker, a Morgan Stanley economist, specialist in new technologies, wanted to be reassuring, but didn’t convince many people. John Doerr, the emblematic Venture capitalist of the biggest investment fund in the Valley, Kleiner Perkins, revealed to the public eleven pieces of advice for times of crisis that had been given behind closed doors, a few days before, at the initial meeting of his job: dismissals and drastic plans of rescue are on the menu.

Another conjuncture: the cycle of novelty of 2.0 is wearing out. One can’t see a new Facebook, MySpace and others emerging. That is a sign of a “mature” idea.

The only note that brought excitement to the audience was the election, only days earlier, of Barack Obama, and the announcement of a future “computer chief” [?] of the United States. The big game in the halls of the summit consisted in finding a name for that position. Julius Genachowsku, familiar with the Web as well as Washington, seems to be more credible given his important role in the new president’s transition team.

In short, Web 2.0 wasn’t exactly the topic of the discussion; this summit could just as well have meant the end of a cycle.

There were also more structural reason, the launching of a new concept: GREEN. It is where the true stakes really seem to be, especially in technology, where Silicon Valley wants to play a leading role. Green is THE subject everyone will be talking about in Silicon Valley. Not only because of saving the planet…

Thus, the Director of the Google Foundation recalls that the second greatest outlay of the giants of search engines, after salaries, is electricity needed to power the immense data analysis centers. Therefore, alternative energy is not an option for Google, but definitely a critical element for its development.

On the other hand, our society is well represented in the new president’s transition team. Eric Schmidt, his PDG, is a member of it. Sonal Shah, from the Google Foundation, is there for energy issues. John Doerr, of Kleiner, spent most of his time as speaker at the conference talking about the politics of energy: “It is the challenge of our generation,” mentioning that Google intended to put 50% of its investments in Green projects.

Also present were the directors of Tesla Motors, builder of the first electric sports car, and Better Place, with plans to have “pumps” to charge electric cars in every town.

But the star of the summit was Al Gore, who was invited to conclude the Web 2.0 Summit, a summit that should be renamed The Green 1.0 Summit! He didn’t say much, he kept in the background the day following Obama’s victory.

He got a standing ovation for the man who greatly contributed to spread the importance of “green,”, and whose name is whispered for an important post in the coming administration.

His meeting, on December 9th, with the president-elect leads us to think that he might well play a big role, instead of his role as elder statesman.

His links with Silicon Valley are good news for the region that seems ready to abandon Web 2.0, cherished for the past four years, in order to concentrate completely on green projects.

For the first time, Silicon Valley intends to make its voice heard in Washington. That is unique. For the Valley’s entrepreneurs the picture of Web 2.0 will be replaced by a green coat of paint.

We guarantee that our planet will gain from it.