In the post on Professor Deffeyes latest statement I quoted his comment that ""solar cells are not the only shimmering dreams." Which, when taken with the following statement that "Methane hydrates, oil shale and the Yucca Mountain radioactive waste depository would be better better off forgotten" suggests that he holds little hope for any of these technologies.  This is, I believe a mistake.  Not too long ago the Engineer suggested that I write away for the free copy of "The Power of the Sun", a one-hour free DVD on recent developments in solar energy, hosted by Nobel Laureates Walter Kohn and Alan Heeger, and produced by Professor Kohn (who is at UC Santa Barbara, which is why I heard of it). It is the one with the camel carrying a solar panel that powers the refrigeration for vaccines being carried across the African desert.  I highly recommend it.

Not only does it show the considerable progress that solar power has made in the past decade, but also illustrates the commitment that both individuals and governments are making to this technology.  No it is not going to solve all the problems that we have with the coming of depletion, but this was a very easy video to watch and gave me some confidence that solar is likely to make a larger contribution, and faster, than I had anticipated.  (It also explains how they work, so that even I could understand it).

Today's BBC story shows the level that can now be reached, as a family in the outback of Australia now get virtually all their power from sun and wind.