Energy independence

Do we now think that it would be a good thing to generate 25% of the US's energy needs from solar energy? What if we could have gotten to that goal a decade ago? Well, during his Presidency, Jimmy Carter signed into law an order to do just that by the year 2000. The goal was achievable, and a plan was set up to get us there. In 1981, the conservatives took over and killed that plan, in order to preserve our dependence on foreign oil - and the oil company profits that come from it.

That's not the only damage the conservatives did to domestic energy production projects. By now we could have much or all of our gas and diesel needs met by algae. Not only was that plan scuttled, but the scientific progress was actively destroyed by the conservatives once they took power.

Can the sabotage be undone, and advancements made? The potential reward is independence from foreign oil. The down side - if this succeeds, oil company profits would be decimated. No wonders the conservatives have been so set on destroying this program.

www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/12/the-lost-decade-of-algal-biofuel

But here is some very good news in the form of a potential death-blow to conservative energy policy - a home battery that could store up to a week's worth of energy. This could make wind and solar much more viable, which would harm the oil importing strategy.

green.venturebeat.com/2009/12/24/panasonics-new-home-battery-could-store-a-weeks-worth-of-electricity