One of the most spectacular failings of the current Administration has been its alternative energy policy.
Its policies have had these goals at their forefront:
1. Ensure that alternatives will be owned by BigOil (Biodiesel)
2. Ensure that BigOil's distribution network will be maintained (Hydrogen)
3. Shift focus away from the physical alternative to the source (drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as opposed to importing oil from people who "want" to kill us)
Needless to say, these policies haven't done anything to help matters.
1. Riots worldwide, due to a shortage of staple food crops and consequently higher food prices.
2. A $1,000,000 prototype that currently only Mr Schwarzenneger can afford, with about two sources of fuel in the whole of California. The best available so far is hydrogen gas dissolved in an organic, petroleum-derived solvent, stored in high pressure, super-cooled canisters under the vehicle. The best part: go on holiday for 2 weeks and your full-tank of hydrogen's gone. This energy source is at least 15 years from production
3. I feel sorry even watching Mr Bush declare this a victory. Mr Reagan, at least, could get away with statements like these, as he compensated for them with his great ability to win over his audience.
I can only hope that the next government has fewer lobbyists in key cabinet positions, and that its leader declares an Energy Race (akin to the Space Race). A key element of this energy race would be reducing demand (just as a key element of the space race was predicting demand for the spinoffs of expensive prototype technologies: don't think that these happened by accident (well except for the publically available zero-gravity pressurized pen but that's another story)).
Reduction in demand could easily come from federal incentives for cities to create micro-communities, that would require less commuting, tax breaks to micro-community employers, employees, schools, supermarkets, hospitals, malls, real-estate developers and so on.
