A major problem is that all the renewable pollution free alternatives are no where near their full potential to replace the fossil fuels.

There is plenty of energy in Aust and our development as an economy is being retarded by greedy small minded thinking.China and India are developing at our expense,and the time for action is now.

Kevin Rudd just took off the subsidy for car natural gas conversions.How stupid is that?I don't think the right hand is even aware of the left hand.

It is time also the manufacturers perfected the LPG fuel system because it does have reliability problems that need addressing.

"A major problem is that all the renewable pollution free alternatives are no where near their full potential to replace the fossil fuels."

Is this a problem? It would be a problem if renewables were at their full potential. This is far from the case and a good thing. Good, because many renewable technologies are becoming competitive with other energy sources now.

That renewables are not greatly developed is hardly a surprise either, given that there has been hardly a perception of need for them until a few years ago. What is remarkable is the rate of progress. Who would have believed that photovoltaic could challenge coal generation on a cost basis a few years ago? Yet this is happening now.

Very soon it may be that the moral choice is also the cheapest alternative.

*What is remarkable is the rate of progress. Who would have believed that photovoltaic could challenge coal generation on a cost basis a few years ago?*

Fester, I agree with you. We forget that in the late 90s, oil was
still around 10$ a barrel, nobody bothered with the research.

Its only in the last few years that the Americans realised that
they were in a corner when it comes to energy, so venture capital
got serious about finding solutions. Huge amounts of money and
talent have been thrown at the problem and results are starting
to show. Stay tuned folks!

It is also interesting that the cost of a barrel of oil is now $120.00,yet airfares still remain cheap compared to ocean or land travel.30% of your air ticket is made up of fuel costs and unless air travel companies find cheaper alternatives,the entire industry will suffer a serious recession.
Jet aeroplanes cannot use natural gas,the fuel must be in a liquid form.Unless OPEC stop these price increases,they too will become victims of their own avarice.

I agree with the premise of this article

But we always make it much harder for the locals than tose we export to
For example
Wood chips to Japan, How come these are not made into biofuel and charcoal for Terra preta agriculture?

The double tax on fuel I have argued against this on this and other forums
EG
In Australia we have have plenty of land in Queensland to grow more sugar cane. Sugar cane would be a good way of making biofuels. Better than USA subsidised corn.
I would like to see a tax break for Queensland farmers as I prefer to see my petrol money going to them rather than huge multi-nationals.

Petrol excise in Australia is a tax that discriminates against the poor and those living in remote rural areas. It makes exports more expensive and adds to the cost of anything and everything that needs to be planted, made or moved.
A very bad inflationary, regressive tax, very little of which is spent improving roads or road safety.
http://forums.permaculture.org.au/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=5500&hilit=petrol+excise

Young Dan;
You got it wrong the broker lost the shares because the owners agreed to
them being used as security against a loan.

It does not happen except in circumstances such as that.

I had not heard that the LPG subsidy was being canceled for cars.
I think the reason is that Kevin Rudd does not believe in peak oil
and as their is no risk of an oil shortage such subsidies are not needed.
That is where the PM will get part of his savings that the treasurer is
making so much noise about.

As he does not believe that there is a longer term fuel risk you now
know why the summit was not allowed to waste its time on peak oil.