[Paleo Conservative]

Actually the solution is coal gasification.

But eventually coal deposits are depleted and the costs of coal and conversion of solid coal to gas and liquids becomes economically nonviable. It all comes down to economics. When the price of hydrocarbon fuels gets high enough substitutes become economically viable. As these substitute technologies get higher than normal rates of return, they receive more investment capital and more research funding. As the researchers and companies follow the learning curve the alternatives become cheaper.

[techcor]

I'll agree with you on what you said and take it a little further. As oil prices increase the economic viability of coal gasification increases. The afore mentioned companies believe that can have gas at about $1.35 per gallon which is less than what it is now. More importantly as companies start coal gasification our supplies of gas increase and the price goes down. Plus as their competition increases the oil companies have to compete to keep their market shares so the price comes down. Plus it's some nifty tech to do the conversion in the first place. (Though the Nazis were the first to really get it going in WWII).