http://www.ecofactory.com/news/japan-announces-first-space-based-solar-farm-111109

Japan’s space agency, JAXA, announced that they plan to build the world’s first space-based solar power station by 2030 due to positive results from over 10 years of research. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is a key contributor to the project, and has stated that space based solar power, which does not have to cope with atmospheric losses, has the potential to stop the energy shortage and climate crisis. In addition to being indifferent to the weather, solar cells in space are thought to be able to capture about five times more energy than their terrestrial brethren.

This will help any short term fuel shortages. It also makes extremely clean diesel (low soot) for those of us with diesel engines.

Before you start, yes, the sun is also a finite resource. It too will burn out someday in a horrible cataclysmic event that will end human life as we know it. It’s a tragedy in the making.

My intention is to reduce our reliance on oil. If we stop using our coal, oil and natural gas to generate electricity, we can use it make fuel for our planes, trains and automobiles (see Fischer Tropsch process mentioned earlier – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fischer-Tropsch). We can stop importing foreign oil while we work on the long term solution and still have groceries on the table and heat for our homes. Win win.

I think short term we need to have more solar panels here on earth. There are millions of acres of desert not in use. Every rooftop could have a solar array. You should note that solar panels are horrible for the environment – they’re as toxic to make as computer chips. http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-9889848-54.html

Safe and Secure Nuclear Energy. Nuclear power represents more than 70 percent of our noncarbon generated electricity. It is unlikely that we can meet our aggressive climate goals if we eliminate nuclear power as an option. However, before an expansion of nuclear power is considered, key issues must be addressed including: security of nuclear fuel and waste, waste storage, and proliferation. Barack Obama introduced legislation in the U.S. Senate to establish guidelines for tracking, controlling and accounting for spent fuel at nuclear power plants. To prevent international nuclear material from falling into terrorist hands abroad, Obama worked closely with Sen. Dick Lugar (R-IN) to strengthen international efforts to identify and stop the smuggling of weapons of mass destruction. As president, Obama will make safeguarding nuclear material both abroad and in the U.S. a top anti-terrorism priority. In terms of waste storage, Barack Obama and Joe Biden do not believe that Yucca Mountain is a suitable site. They will lead federal efforts to look for safe, long-term disposal solutions based on objective, scientific analysis.

In the meantime, they will develop requirements to ensure that the waste stored at current reactor sites is contained using the most advanced dry-cask storage technology available.