The next big energy boom will most likely be in solar cells.
solar cells on every house = energy crises is over
Not at all.
Do you think that solar panels just magically pop into existence? You need to think about energy return on investment; (just like financial ROI, only with energy) look up how much energy is 'invested' in solar panels (ie how much energy it takes to make and install them) vs. energy 'return' (how much energy they produce and for how long once operational)
Photovoltaic solar cells have about the worst energy ROI of any technology out there today. Most of them need to be operation for 15+ years before they produce more energy then it took to make them, and the financial ROI isn't much better.
Fossil fuels are our primary energy source because they are cheap, efficient and already have a massive infrastructure in place to drill/mine, transport, refine, and burn it. And until something comes along which has a better ROI in both energy and financial terms it will remain so. Oil will have to get ridiculously expensive before any of the other options become attractive financially.
Besides, like Boo pointed out... the demonization of "Big Oil" is ridiculous. They are a booming industry providing many thousands of high paying jobs both in the field as well as engineers, geologists, chemists etc. Also I bet that most Americans
OWN part of "Big Oil" without even realizing it. If you have money in an IRA, mutual fund, or pension plan... odds are part of it is in oil companies. Sure the cost of gas or diesel at the pump is high, but look up Exxon or Shell's profit margin... it is still pretty slim.
Lastly I find it funny that nobody is complaining about "Big Farm" or "Big Corn" in spite of MASSIVE farm subsidies, and companies like Monsanto pushing stuff like ethanol fuel and GMO food crops on us through with their huge DC lobby whether we want it or not.
