Quote:Regardless if climate change, global warming/cooling is man made or natural I think solar is the future and support getting behind it 100%. The problem is we're missing a link right now, I remember seeing a really detailed documentary on solar energy a few years ago and they talked about how we almost need to create an element that can absorb more energy from the sun. I think they said the best we can do right now is capture about 3% of the energy from the sun, if we could get close to 10% the world's energy problem is over.

 

However the advances we have seen in solar haven't been where government get's involved. Just look at Solyndra and it's a good example of crony capitalism.

It's more like 11-15% but yeah not as efficient as you would like which is why research and development needs to be done. 

 

Where do you think all the research and innovation for say the space program came from? Or federal grants for medical research? A huge portion of the inventions that came from the space program have applications for every day life. Going sustainable in energy is something that would benefit the entire nation in a similar way. You won't even argue that.

 

In addition being dependent on oil is a constant example of a national security concern no? Federal funding of research into sustainable energy should be a primary concern. Not so much funding businesses or subsidizing them but absolutely I think we should be using tax money to fund research and development. Siphon a few billion from the defense spending. Easy peasy. 

---