With the current goal of 25% of US energy from renewable sources by 2025, we are finally turning the corner away from non-sustainable energy sources.  As far as new technology goes, we already have it.  This goal could easily be accomplished by building out parabolic trough solar thermal fields in the American southwest.  This technology is proven (over 20 years) and has low-cost inputs.

Hmmm

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/03/12/fast_charge_battery_bubble_stab/

Maybe you need to read this?

The Register’s trademark skepticism is an important antidote to the all-too-common hype in tech reporting. I recommend making The Register a regular part of your reading diet. Their skepticism can sometimes be more reactionary than substantive, however, and you should weigh as many sources as you reasonably can.

As I said, it’s a long way from the lab to the showroom, and there are a lot of questions. But I don’t think the previous development of lithium titanate batteries diminishes the importance of this development. Nanostructured lithium titanate batteries are fast charging, but they hold less energy than standard lithium ion batteries.

Important questions for this (and any other laboratory breakthrough) are can the fabrication process be scaled up for manufacturing, and how much will it cost. After that, we can get to engineering questions like how to build fast-charging infrastructure.

What I find most interesting about this breakthrough is that it’s a new approach to lithium transport chemistry and it potentially applies to materials other than lithium iron phosphate.

I’m less interested in whether to bet on the particular technology these MIT researchers have developed than I am in how this advances the whole field of fast battery research. And that’s what led me to ponder the impact of fast-charging electric car batteries.

I am a student writing my major on the types of engines and the future of personal transportation.  I came across a couple questions and was wondering if you had any thoughts to offer:

With regards to electric cars and the source of electricity not being so green (most plants using coal and others creating nuclear waste), a few sources have given me an estimate of 40-60years before a new form of green electricity generation such as tidal power/wind/solar etc will be greatly moving forward. Do you think this is about right and do you think the public consumers care where the power comes from; and does this impact on the market for hybrid and/or electric cars by companies and any political views?

Why are the hybrids so centralized on petrol? Is this a cost issue or a political slide to keep consumers on the hook? With the debates about diesel being a cleaner option and LPG and a hydrogen engine on the way; why aren’t companies investing in LPG-Electric OR Diesel-Electric OR Hydro-Electric Hybrid engines for vehicles?

Any response or advice on where i can follow this up further will be greatly appreciated.