Energy myth one-today's energy crisis is "hype"

Abstract

There is a common belief in the United States that the marketplace, when left to its own devices, can meet society's needs. Often the technical solutions to societal problems already exist; all that blocks their usage are market imperfections that can be eliminated by simply updating public policies. When new technologies are needed, scientists and entrepreneurs have shown an impressive capacity to deliver them quite rapidly. How, then, can an energy crisis possibly be upon us? The fact is, the U.S. government and industry have invested a fraction of what has been needed to develop solutions to the nation's energy problems, and local, state, and federal policies and initiatives have been inadequate. As a result, options do not exist today to ensure a sustainable energy future, and the country faces the risk of a very real energy crisis.