On 1 May 2007 22:00:05 -0700, Chuck Gould
wrote:

Maybe I lack sufficient
perception or imagination, but I can't see a better alternative than
ICE's being available and practical in time.

For cars, I think electric will eventually become a reality as battery
technology improves, perhaps within 10 years or even sooner. Nuclear
can and will replace fossil fuel generating plants but it takes 10
years to build a new nuclear plant start to finish. Coal will fill
the gap for awhile. Small boats and planes are a lot more difficult,
and planes will certainly win out over pleasure craft at crunch time
for the last gallons.

I had the pleasure of recently meeting the fellow who manages nuclear
power for the US Navy (he's also a well known sailor). The navy has
done a lot of research into small reactors of course. When I asked
him what they could do for a GB49 he just laughed. If you turn the
clock back to 1900 or so, it's not unthinkable that we or our children
may be boating with coal fired steam engines again. Then again, the
original diesel engine ran on coal dust if my memory is correct.