Part of the problem is speculation: individual and institutional investors betting on higher future oil prices. Another big factor is the very weak U.S. dollar. But the bulk of the reason oil and gas prices have climbed so high is that age-old Economics 101 supply/demand equation. Global demand, especially by developing countries, continues to grow, while supply does not.

Most agree that conservation is the critically important first step in altering that equation. Next comes development of alternatives, some that can propel our vehicles, others that cannot but can displace oil and natural gas now being used for energy production.

As difficult as it may be to believe, interest in alternative fuel vehicles actually pre-dates the launch of AutoblogGreen a little more than two years ago. Another fact that may be tough to swallow is that the BBC's Top Gear was not always the hour of silliness we see today with Clarkson, Hammond and May. In fact Top Gear's current format only began in 2002. Going back in time it had a more staid magazine style format with hosts such as William Woollard. Way back in 1990, Woollard did a pair of segments on alternative fuels and the threat of Global Warming from increased greenhouse gas emissions.

Watching these 18 year old segments, it seems not a lot has changed. Woollard looked at hydrogen with an early prototype of the BMW Hydrogen 7, methanol, CNG, solar powered EVs and even hybrids. The GM Impact, the precursor to the EV1, even makes a brief appearance while discussing battery electric vehicles. In that pre-lithium ion era, sodium sulfur batteries seemed to be one possible solution to range and weight problem of storing electrons. Although such batteries were tested by automakers, the high operating temperatures (up to 350 °C) limited their usefulness. Nonetheless, the similar Zebra batteries are still being evaluated today and used in some applications. Check out the videos after the jump. Thanks to Joseph for the tip!

[Source: YouTube]

This is the time of the year when many make their new years resolutions, and think back on the year that just was. Neal Dikeman did just that at cleantechblog, and I have copied his list of eleven things he will remember regarding clean energy here for you to contemplate.

1. A new political landscape
2. An Inconvenient Truth
3. Thomas Friedman
4. The Stern Report
5. Whither hydrogen?
6. What happened to efficiency?
7. 25 by '25
8. 20% from wind by 2030
9. Sizzling solar
10. Biofuel boom
11. Oil Addiction

By clicking on the link above or below, you can see his explanations as to why he remembers these items over others. Care to add any of your own?

[Source: Neal Dikeman / cleantechblog via alphaseeker via yahoo.com]

Following up on yesterday's post about the public opinion polls showing that American's want alternative fuels, and are even willing to pay a higher gas tax to make the U.S. more energy independent, I wanted to link to this opinion piece by Tom Bevan in last Friday's Real Clear Politics. Bevan takes a "no kidding" approach to looking at the history and possibilities of real political leadership which brought us the space program and the atomic bomb. He then ties this in with the alternative energy market, asking why cars today get about the same miles per gallon as a 1908 Model T. Bevan basically argues there is no such thing as a "post-9/11 mindset" when it comes to getting off of oil, but there should be, and there most certainly could be.

[Source: Real Clear Politics]