I agree. With advances in wind turbines and solar, both should be pushed hard. If the claims made by SUNRGI are true, then this is the breakthrough we have been waiting for regarding solar energy.

Sunrgi claims bargain-basement power prices from new solar concentrator design » VentureBeat

Of course, most of the oil we use is made into gasoline for transportation. What we really need is a new fuel for transportation. Ethanol is very inefficient and that is the reason it is being pushed. As long as there is no real threat to gasoline, the oil companies profits are safe. If our government was sincere about alternative fuels, they would be pushing biodiesel and pushing Americans to buy diesel cars. Obviously they are not serious, since the power of the oil companies is very strong in D.C.

Biodiesel is far superior to Ethanol in every way, except one. It does tend to gel in cold climates. There are new fuel additives which can help reverse the gel effect, but for most of the US, this will not be a problem, except in the coldest winter months.

The oil companies are starting to invest in alternative fuels.

Citing research from Goldman Sachs, jatropha could be used to produce a barrel of fuel for around $43, less than the cost of sugar cane-based ethanol ($45 per barrel) or corn-based ethanol ($83 per barrel) currently favored in the United States.

This has caught the attention of oil giant BP. The company signed a $160 million deal with British biodiesel producer Dl Oils, creating a joint venture that aims to become the world's top producer of jatropha oil by 2011. Wall Street is also singing the tough plant’s praises. Goldman Sachs has touted jatropha as one of the top candidates for future biodiesel production.

Getting Down to Earth Amidst Soaring Oil Prices - Commodity Store with Sri Jegarajah - MSNBC.com

Ever see this ad fro SHELL and CNN?

http://www.odac-info.org/sites/odac....-08colourC.JPG

If you click on the ad it will enlarge so that you can read it.

OK. We nationalize all energy resources.

As for theft of ND's oil, I think all citizens of the US are entitled to the benefits of the natural resources of the country. I don't see that the oil belongs only to ND anymore than food belongs only to farmers in farming states. I think we need a better distribution system for energy.

Again, very short sighted.

The US will have to wean off of oil. The longer we put this off, the worse it will be.

__________________
Whan they come, Ah sall staun mah grun
Staun mah grun, an be na afraid.
Thochts ae hame tak awa mah fear
Sweat an bluid hide mah veil o tears.

I agree.

Unless every report about the status of current reserves is wrong, or the demand for oil takes a nose dive and unless new refineries are to begin construction tomorrow, we are screwed.

This is why the oil companies are finally starting to invest in alternatives. This is why SHELL Oil will allow their name on an advertisement which states...........

"The bad news is that no combination of technologies can plug the energy gap if the peakists are correct. There will be a third and last Global energy crisis. It will dwarf previous energy crisis. Profound economic dislocation will result. The challenge for human civilization will be how we rebuild post-peak.
If we mobilize with renewables and efficiency as though for war we have the potential to achieve a renaissance on many fronts. "

Pretty strong words from an ad from CNN and SHELL.

I can understand why it wasn't in a US magazine.

We do need to wean off oil and a little sacrifice now, could save a us a whole world of hurt in 10-20 years.