I can't refute this article, and don't feel sufficiently interested to research it. But the economics of other, already existing conservation and recycling efforts don't add up well. It makes people feel good but the net "savings" are negative.
YOu are absolutely correct. If these technologies made current economic sense than they would be implemented without a second thought.
IMHO the United States needs to make itself less dependent on imported energy. And that means we need to move away from oil. We have the wealth and technology to become an extremely efficient economy and using renewable energy that is available in abundance in our own country.
It is not as if the United States has shied away from creating market incentives in the past. For the sake of national security, this seems like an option that would only be upsetting the oilmen.