I attended a recent energy and climate change symposium where a panel of big-brained experts did their damnedest to remain upbeat about the future. The panelists hemmed and hawed about the specifics, but they were reassuringly definitive about one point- the future will run on a mix of nuclear, solar, wind, carbon-sequestered clean coal, lithium batteries, cellulose bio fuels and some other cool stuff once an integrated smart grid becomes fully operational on a national basis.

Say what?

China adds a new power plant to its grid every week in a desperate attempt to avoid national blackout while green gurus in this country pin their hopes on energy solutions that only exist as scribbles on cocktail napkins. China’s power struggle is a wake up call for a planet where increasing numbers of humans grow increasingly dependent on light bulbs, water pumps and hard drives for basic survival. An exploding global middle class means the world will need another 18,000 power plants or their renewable equivalent by 2030 or else.

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