Most of us here expect a clean and renewable technical solution to the energy crisis to be announced soon. Even so, inertia being what it is, we are looking at twenty years more, at a minimum, of substantial oil use. With that comes the continuing prospect of sending massive amounts of money overseas to our enemies.
That would be even if a breakthrough and announcement happened this year, and I think it will. The announcement itself would moderate the price of oil, but the infrastructure cannot change fast enough to make a large short term difference in demand for coal and oil. We need to be on a transition course, regardless of what happens on the technological front. The hybrid automobile is one part of that, "conservation" and cogeneration is another. Most of us hate to see a renewed emphasis on nuclear energy - BUT as things stand right now, in mid-2009, nuclear fission is the cleanest and best alternative to coal. And anything that keeps dollars at home, at least in North America, is worth every effort to get to market ASAP. This is where "two wrongs" can make a right, at least in the sense of short-term correct decision that eliminates overseas oil imports: http://www.hyperionpowergeneration.com/news.html
