The world does not run on batteries. They are not very efficient, and they are expensive, and heavy. Technology is never stagnant, but time is a factor and technology cannot be rushed, (no pun intended). We have our cheap clean technology, at the moment it happens to be oil. I don't see anything on the horizon that is going to replace oil anytime soon, as in 20, 30, even 50 years, and before 50 years, there may be an event take place which will give us a quantum leap in technology unknown since the beginning of time. Time will tell.
I think by now we should have cheap desalinization of oceans for fresh water supplies and we should have alternative sources of cheap energy.
For heaven's sake, all this talent and America can't get this done?
I don't know about that or decades more being needed.