29 years ago, then President, Jimmy Carter, told Americans the energy crisis was:

“a clear and present danger to our nation” and drew out a plan to address it.

Listen here to today’s story:

He was so ahead of his time.

It seems that almost every day there is an editorial urging John McCain to relieve the American people of their high gas price burden. But rather than an endorsement of his gas tax vacation, the average conservative citizen is urging McCain to drill for domestic oil. If he indeed decided to drill for more oil on American soil, he would be embraced by the right.

But how much good would it do? The Wall Street Journall’s Real Time Economics has an article indicating that even if we were to drill in the massive ANWR reserves, it would not be likely to impact gas prices now.

Furthermore, 2008 Central has a humorous bit of an exploitation article on the same issue. In 1985, McCain insisted (very strongly) that offshore oil in states like California should be distributed to Americans on a national level. Now he claims that he wants to do the exact opposite. On top of that, the most optimistic projections for offshore drilling is that it will lower gas prices by eight cents a decade from now.

In the past, McCain has supported initiatives for research into alternative fuels and seems to have a fair grasp on our energy crisis worldwide. In order to maintain that image, he needs to get his act together regarding gasoline.

Some observations from Tom Kloza on the beginning of Hurricane Season, high gasoline costs (those darn speculators!) and more.

What’s going on with the Renewable Energy Tax Credits?

Mythbusters: Food vs. Fuel.

Don’t do this at home!! That is store gasoline in containers in a closet.

Is the time right for a comeback of the Zeppelin?

McCain and Obama on green energy.

Jim Fraser at The Energy Blog writes a nice article about the advent of electric cars. This is the real advent. We’re talking mass production here, not some entry in a science fair. Well, they’re starting out at 1 or 2 cars a week, but hope to get up to 100/month by next year.

Tesla Motors announced that it is starting regular production of the Tesla Roadster, an electric car. 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, 200 mile range between charges. (It runs on laptop batteries. )

Put your order in now, and start saving your pennies. Base price is $109,000.

Think Global (Norwegian Co.) is planning to introduce its electric car, Th!nk City to North America in 2009.

Electric cars are nothing new to Think Global. This company has 17 years of experience in the electric vehicle biz, ans has 1,200 vehicles on Norwegian roads.

We’re thinking Green!

Fact or urban legend?

The skeptics’ basic argument is that the Prius’ battery is irredeemably un-green, mostly because of its high nickel content and complex manufacturing process. As a result, “Dust to Dust” contends that a Prius will consume $3.25 worth of energy per mile over its cradle-to-grave lifetime. A Hummer H2, by contrast, will use $3.03 per mile and the Hummer H3 just $1.95.

All this nickel talk may be misleading. The Hummer’s frame contains twice as much nickel as the Prius. Prius fuel efficiency is 48 mpg in the city. Beat that!

Of course, there are more complaints about the Prius, but:

None of these critiques should obscure that fact that the Prius represents a step in the right direction—innovation designed to increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions and that the market (abetted by tax breaks) seems to be rewarding. Will the car slow climate change all by its lonesome? Of course not, but no one has ever suggested as much. Will it soon be eclipsed by newer technologies? Quite likely, and quite hopefully. But attacking the Prius for not being perfect—especially with lame scuttlebutt masquerading as science—strikes the Lantern [the Green Lantern, Slate Magazine] as dangerously inane.