Courtesy of Charlie Bess of EDS I saw what the National Academy of Engineering lays out as challenges:
* Make solar energy economical
* Provide energy from fusion
* Develop carbon sequestration methods
* Manage the nitrogen cycle
* Provide access to clean water
* Restore and improve urban infrastructure
* Advance health informatics
* Engineer better medicines
* Reverse-engineer the brain
* Prevent nuclear terror
* Secure cyberspace
* Enhance virtual reality
* Advance personalized learning
* Engineer the tools of scientific discovery
I am disappointed that re-engineering energy storage devices (batteries) are not on the list. This technology is so behind the curve, that IMO is a major cause of poor economics on solar and wind. I have tinkered with these technologies extensively for my cruising sailboat to support dual refrigeration, water maker, and the rest of our electrical needs. The weakest link is batteries by a long shot. Long live the Church of Fossil Fuels :-)
Posted by: Gregory Yankelovich | March 19, 2008 at 06:50 PM