So let me get this straight

[Vanraw]

I think we should all just say fuck it and pollute the earth and rob it of all its massive vegetation until its completely uninhabitable by humanity. But hey that's just me.

[Hoofhurr]

From everything I've seen there are a lot of smart engineers out there developing green technologies and while the changes are happening incrementally I can't help but be convinced that renewable or non-carbon sources will be a large portion of our energy portfolio one day. Those guys at Tesla Autos are building incredible all electric engines that don't sacrifice much by way of power.

[Slamz]

I've always felt that we'd eventually see a major new renewable energy source come out of China or India before we invented it here. We have little incentive in the West. We've really spent a laughably small amount on fusion research. Wasn't America's stake in the project like $1 billion? That's chump change. I think we just don't really care because deep down, where money matters, "global warming" is not seen as a real crisis and we have enough natural resources to keep us in business for decades yet, so we're in no hurry to develop anything. These projects will continue to get some chump change, but that's all it is.

You'll know when global warming is serious business or when the energy crisis becomes real, because you'll see companies like Exxon start pumping huge amount of money into R&D.

Whereas China could benefit hugely from something like that right now. Power is going to be a huge barrier for them. If they could come up with something cheap, easy and renewable, they'd solve a major problem for their country. They have the incentive and I'd bet that's where the next big "green" technology comes from. (They'd rather wait for us to invent it and then steal the technology, but their need is a lot greater than ours.)

[Vanraw]

I've always felt that we'd eventually see a major new renewable energy source come out of China or India before we invented it here. We have little incentive in the West. We've really spent a laughably small amount on fusion research. Wasn't America's stake in the project like $1 billion?

This always bugged me. I wonder how much our Energy conglomerates had to do with these policies. In the end research into Fusion technology (Or any other concepts like anti-mater) is about alot more then just heating your home. They will be about things like how to go to other stars and planets. Its America's short term view again.

I've always felt that we'd eventually see a major new renewable energy source come out of China or India before we invented it here. We have little incentive in the West. We've really spent a laughably small amount on fusion research. Wasn't America's stake in the project like $1 billion?

You'll know when global warming is serious business or when the energy crisis becomes real, because you'll see companies like Exxon start pumping huge amount of money into R&D.

Well Exxon is already. All the major energy companies are sinking huge amount of thier profits into researching green / effcient technologies of the future. If for no other reason, they know that Oil and NG will run out someday.

[Diggles]

Oil companies are just that...oil. Shell saw how unprofitable green tech was and dumped their program completely and opted for carbon 'tax'.

So no, not all oil companies are looking ahead, I'd venture to say they havent spent shit on alternatives.