The Dept of Energy has sucked down $5 billion a year for 30 years, and if there isn't a gov't solution in hand by now there won't be. The latest example of gov't coming to the rescue was Katrina, and that is probably the best that can be expected. Being $9 trillion in debt can't be of any help, and the private sector is likewise $9 trillion in debt. There isn't much more where that came from. Answer? Horses? Bicycles?
If any of you are interested I just blogged about this article, and this entire issue of high gas prices, which seems to be in the news a lot lately:
http://www.neoperspectives.com/gasoline_and_government.htm