| Incredible timing
How ironic to be reporting on the application of alternative energy sources on the day that the U.S. House of Representatives passed a sweeping "Energy" bill which provides 5 times more in tax breaks and incentives to producers of oil and gas than to energy conservation and alternative energy source development.
How ironic that, when we import over 60% of the oil and gas we use, and when over 40% of oil used goes to personal (not commercial) cars and trucks, that all efforts at increasing fuel economy in vehicles were stripped from the bill.
How ironic that the release scheduled for this week of an EPA study on fuel economy was suddenly delayed until after the vote on the "Energy" bill. Among the observations in the EPA report is that weaknesses in the current regulations on fleet fuel economy have resulted in cars and trucks sold in the US in 2004 with average fuel economy lower than the average fuel economy of new cars and trucks in the late 1980s. Average car weight has increased from 3200 to 4000 pounds and average horsepower has doubled, so despite impressive advances in vehicle design fuel consumption has increased.
And this comes at the same time that Exxon Mobil reported that their profits this year have increased by about 1/3 over last year.
I doubt that solar power will be the dominant energy source in the future for personal transportation, but wouldn't it make sense to invest more in alternatives to limited, increasingly expensive, polluting energy sources which force us to make difficult and risky geopolitical moves? |