Learning Curve

With Help from California, Solar Gets Fired Up

To see Reagan in action, proudly pulling off solar panels, see the film, "Who Killed the Electric Car". At the time of Reagan's re-election bid, a Republican acquaintance actually said to me that "we" must destroy alternative energy and subsidize oil in order to stay friends with the Saudis. He was serious! For a good history of how this foolishness brought us down, also see the film "The End of Suburbia".

Buying Green Energy Stocks Into The Elections

Since we seem to be on the topic:
I think we’ll see American consumer behavior change abruptly, particularly automotive and driving behavior. This “shock of gas prices” that was supposed to make people wise up once gasoline hit $6 a gallon has now begun at $4. Meanwhile, there is an ever increasing interest in other positive changes in behavior –at least all around me here on the front range of Colorado (excluding Colorado Springs). The few vociferous people who say that ‘peak oil’ is a hoax are dismissed as citizens begin to actually look into the issue.
Of course, I worry that political behavior will trump good reforms and that we’ll be a long time out of this entrapment by big-oil.
Meanwhile, with regard to Republicans being good for the economy, please to look at the actual performance of economies and stock investing as a function of which political party is in power. Review the depredations on Americans produced by Calvin Coolidge (much admired by R Reagan) and the unfortunate H Hoover. Understand the frustrations Republicans felt when a decent and insightful man (Theodore Roosevelt) became president and took on the mega-corps.
By the way, john gordon, I agree completely.

All of the Motor-Fuel Alternatives to Conventional Crude Oil Stink

Gosh! How political and superficial this discussion became –conspiracy theorists left and right!
Meanwhile, in the article and among the comments, geothermal was not mentioned. Geothermal investment options should be discussed on Seeking Alpha.
And, of course, there are inventive and competent engineers who are, at this moment, working on such problems as intermittency of power, or better battery technologies.
(My own conspiracy theory: We had an electric car, once. Remember Who Killed it.)
Thanks for the outline, Scott. Important stuff.

Renewable Energy: The Next Economic Boom

It's good to have some perspective --by way of numbers-- that you provide in this article. Thanks.

Too Late to the Oil Party? Consider the Alternative

Excellent, thanks.

Wind: The Powerful Anti-Commodity

I too appreciate your research and the ensuing discussion. Vestas was my first alternative energy investment and I'm delighted with my 146% return after 15 months. I mean to go long! Vestas got my attention because of their establishing operations and manufacturing just east of the Front Range in Colorado (where in association with Colorado State University, we are developing an enterprising Clean Energy Cluster).

U.S. Dollar Signaling a Changing Tide?

And, Kunst, a real energy policy would be based on an honest analysis of our situation and would be in keeping with an oath of office to be responsible to American citizens. Instead, a secret meeting (the secret kept safe by the Supreme Court) attended by people thinking only of their immediate self interest is a big part of our ensuing problems. We, as voting Americans, were not allowed any input or insight into the decision process. It takes very little thinking to understand why the oil men (and woman) continue in their depredations on the world.