Cold fusion was a cute fantasy it now seems. Do you think an alternative source of energy be put into practice before all oil and coal is consumed?
206915
The source does not need to be invented, only the method of actualization.
297709
Four things I'm waiting for, and hope to see in my lifetime:\n\nAn inexpensively-made material that is superconducting at "normal" temperatures.\n\nPractical fusion power. (Though that would probably follow naturally from the first one.)\n\nSome cheap way to break down any substance into its elemental components.  Everything would then be recyclable.\n\nCheap manufacturing of carbon nanomaterials such as hyperfilament, "Bucky tubes" and the like.\n\nIf you can get any of these ideas to work, you're welcome to steal them.\n\n-- Oh, and an anti-microwave; something that freezes as fast as a microwave cooks.
46640
I agree with you, unfortunately the oil industry has a lot of money and well you know how that goes. Currently there are several research and development programs going on relating to alternative energy sources. Examples are Methane, ethanol, and hydrogen.  Keep you fingers crossed that one of these experimental energy resources hits pay dirt.
92365
Well, other forms of energy create so much more pollution that nuclear energy is the safest, most viable source of energy. I'll admit it's far from perfect, but considering the low output of energy collection devices such as solar and wind, nuclear energy has a huge output for a very low energy input.\n\nAnd nuclear power plants are among the most efficient power sources we have. Coal and nuclear plants are about 30-40% efficient. In contrast, the human body is only 20% efficient. Until we can develop a system of fusion that creates an acceptable amount of energy to warrant the energy required to start the reaction, fission is our best bet.
283077
I don't know what everyone else here is on but we've had fusion (hydrogen) weapons for decades. Fusion weapons are capable of destroying planets as there is no real limit to how powerful they can be. There are more powerful alternatives however. Matter-Antimatter reactions can be made vastly more powerful then fusion reactions since the masses are completely transformed into energy whereas only a small portion of mass is converted into energy in fusion reactions. The problem of course is that anti-matter is annihilated upon exposure to any matter so storing it is the biggest problem in making such an idea practical and it would probably never make it to bomb form let alone the problems people have making 1/1000th of a milligram of the stuff for any sustained period.
205746
How exactly are you splitting the H from the O?   Under high pressure and spraying?  I don't see how that could possibly work.  Cold fusion also has a huge potential for cheap, clean, renewable energy.  But much like what you are talking about, it simply isn't possible with the current technology.  If splitting H and O was so cheap and simple it would be done all of the time.  Electrolysis works, but the energy input makes it unrealistic for creating liquid hydrogen as an energy source.  If you truely have a way to spit the H20 molecule cheaply and efficiently you'd already be a multi-billionaire.
655687
global oil conglomerates aka the cookie monster, greed at it's most BASIC element.  The internal combustion engine has been obsolete since the 1950s.  Oil companies this year have set record profits, so much so  that the US government is  trying to figure out what to do about it.  Renewable energies equates to no profits these companies will sooner shove oil down our throats(WW III) rather than to allow renewable energies to become main stream.  Look for the US government to lead the world into a global government!!!!!
489610
Nuclear Engineering is by far the way to go.  The demand for nuclear energy is projected to greatly increase in the next ten years.  With countries such as China planning to invest over $50 billion over this same time period the U.S. will have no choice but to begin to follow this trend.  Companies like Westinghouse are designing the next generation power plants and already have a new design passed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.  Our dependence on fossil fuel is too great and nuclear power is the next huge industry.
8194
It is indeed being done, and I have toured a geothermal plant in New Zealand.\n\nMost ways of generating geothermal power rely indirectly on the heat of the molten rock beneath the surface. This heat usually moves closer to the surface via fluids that travel up local networks of faults and fractures. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Geothermal_energy_methods.png for a simplified illustration of this.\n\nSee the wikipedia page, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal, for further discussion of the ways geothermal energy is extracted today.\n\nThe point made in the previous answer is also very valid. Powers at be favour the production of traditional energy via coal,oil and gas, and so a lot of money goes into extracting those and keeping them more economically viable that other alternative energy sources like Geothermal energy.
272914
As a transition fuel I think bio fuel is good. There are  grasses, straw, sugar cane, corn, many things to try.  No I don't think it will harm our food supply, at least not for a transition period. \n\nI'd like to see research into capturing some of the heat generated in an engine to help move a car, and the use to solar collectors and possibly capturing energy from wind generated as a vehicle travels through the air.  \n\nI'm confident others have more inventive ideas, but until the price of oil started to anger us, those who have an interest in selling us oil have quashed efforts to produce alternative systems.
96335
Most countries i believe have the technology. Its actually about producing it. I believe our government and the UN have treaties about the amount of nuclear power to have for each countries.
666658
Maybe never.  Back in the 1970s, everyone thought alternative energy is going to go through the roof.  The oil prices fell...
463786
cold fusion is basically a process of creating energy out of nothing, it could power entire cities while causing no pollution, no depletion of natural resources, and no harmful fumes, it is completely clean energy.
6455
have faith in humanities willingness to survive, the depletion of fossil fuels is but a bump in the road, we may get a flat tire but surely the wheel will survive. Humanities ingenuity is probably its only saving grace. I would be more worried about the current state of international politics in regaurds to humanities ability to exist anywhere.....
236750
To add to rya's answer: fusion doesn't leave radioactive waste, but we don't know how to do it yet.
237719
Not soon enough. We have the technology to build extremely safe nuclear plants. And if they are standardized would be even more cost efficient. What to do with the waste? Launch it into the Sun. It won't even be noticed there.\n\nSave the oil that is in the ground for things which can't be made from anything else. (which means Iraq, Iran, and everyone else can keep their oil)
33777
Alternative forms of energy are very much in the news. I think that would go over well. Start with http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_electricity  and go from there.