Replies

There is an endless stream of quick and easy solutions to our energy problems. These things NEVER pan out.

There is no such thing as a free lunch and our energy problems are essentially physics problems and WILL NOT be solved by a couple of kids tinkering in a garage as the ignorant Thomas Friedman has suggested. This clown doesn't know his *ss from a hole in the ground when it comes to energy and technology.

Now this is off the subject for this post, but I'm venting my frustrations with this type of article. It distracts us from the problems at hand and gives many the believe that there is a silver bullet to our energy problems.

Unless we take steps in the right direction in the area of energy (and soon), we will have a dismal future.

Unless we take steps in the right direction in the area of energy (and soon), we will have a dismal future.

So, what do you think is the right direction?

I mean this slightly ironical, as the market does not know right or wrong, just more or less competitive alternatives. But it would be nice to hear anyway.

I agree the energy problem is a complicated issue, especially because of the restrictions placed on energy supplies by the government, no drilling and development of our own oil reserves, very little use of nuclear power. Why we are not working “balls to the wall” on these sources now is extremely frustrating

However I feel if the free market is allowed to function the US will come up with solutions to our problems. We are the best in the world at developing solutions to complicated technical problems.

My first impression of this technology is it may be OK in some limited situations. For example if running an exothermic reaction on a fairly large scale where heat must be removed to control the reaction. This waste heat could be used to run their generator. All depends on cost.

I recently have been looking at new technologies such as second generation ethanol processes (no corn feedstock) using landfill waste (or any other organic feedstock)converted to syngas and then into ethanol by fermentation (Coskata and Ineos Bio for example). I also know of a stratup company, Kior, in Houston area working on catalytic conversion of cellulosic feedstocks to low grade gasoline.
There are many more examples of similar technologies.

There is still hope if the government can stay out of the way. Let the free market decide on the winners.