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US Halts Applications For Solar Energy Projects
Dekortage writes "The US Bureau of Land Management, overwhelmed by applications for large-scale solar energy plants, has declared a two-year freeze on applications for new projects until it completes an extensive environmental impact study. The study will produce 'a single set of environmental criteria to weigh future solar proposals, which will ultimately speed the application process.' The freeze means that current applications will continue to be processed — plants producing enough electricity for 20 million average American homes — but no new applications will be accepted until the study is complete. Solar power companies are worried that this will harm the industry just as it is poised for explosive growth. Some note that gas and oil projects are booming in the southwestern states most favorable to solar development. Another threat looming over the solar industry is that federal tax credits must be renewed in Congress, else they will expire this year."
... meaning research is needed ... lab setups.
Not actual projects. Those actual projects are built TODAY using, at best, today's technology, more likely yesterday's.
So let's evaluate your argument. We need to build new technologies. "New" meaning either not invented yet, or we're in the process of inventing them. Great, perfect plan, fabulous ... I do have one question though, that I must insist you answer :
How exactly do you build a power plant that hasn't been invented yet ? Unless you can answer that question your argument is worthless.
For the same reason carter's demand was worthless, it wasn't possible. Congress is a waste of money, and it's certainly not capable of researching advanced physics. Therefore that law under carter was worth the same as all Carter's other policies (like putting ahmadinejad "we don't have no gays in Iran, we do kill them, I don't know why you think we have them" in power for example) : about as much as an investment in SCO.