I propose the mass-development of methanol infrastructure. This fuel can be used in either a conventional internal combustion engine, or in a fuel cell. It costs the same per mile driven as gasoline, so ***there will be no change in price at the pumps*** and this is absolutely superb sales pitch to the consumer. It is a liquid fuel just like gasoline, so there is very little that needs to be done to convert the infrastructure. Its closest competitor ethanol will cost much more than methanol per mile driven, and no other fuel - whether ethanol, hydrogen, compressed natural gas, or propane can be implemented with any speed or without trade-offs in performance and convenience.

Everything I've read tells me that Methanol is the fuel of the future. It is produced by steam reforming natural gas, which means it is mostly renewable, unlike gasoline or diesel. The only known drawback it that it burns with a colorless flame - a safety problem that can be easily solved; a non-problem from the consumer's perspective. If public outcry and political intervention forces the abandonment of strip mines to extract oil from tar sand and shale, then natural gas reserves may be diverted to synthesize methanol. The numerous failed attempts to market shale oil are a pretty good indication that this may happen. So methanol, derived from natural gas, is the way to go. If all else fails it is certainly the best choice to fall back on.

Picture the near future (between 2 - 15 years from now): conventional as well as hybrid cars can run on methanol. It becomes the fuel of choice for consumers concerned about depletion of domestic oil reserves, and the political problems as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran and Russia become the world's largest remaining sources of oil.

The more distant future (15 - 25 years from now): world oil supplies are depleted and political turmoil Saudi Arabia and surrounding nations threaten to shut off the taps completely. Hybrid cars are very common and many are running on methanol. Methanol is becoming preferred at the pumps, and fuel cells become available that can outperform hybrid engines. The increased price of methanol due to high demand spurs the sales of fuel cell cars. This is when the era of renewable energy, zero emissions, and culturally sound energy policy will begin.

The way I see it, we cannot have a successful manned space program until we achieve this on Earth. Sure we may go a long way (maybe even a manned mars mission), but nothing permanent. No permanent space colonies will occur until we can fully realize renewable, non-polluting energy technology, and not until we can recycle nearly all we use. Otherwise the economics of resupplying space colonies will make them unachievable. So a methanol infrastructure is just the beginning of achieving greater things in space. Look at it this way: we need to lift our fellow man out of the stone age before we ourselves can achieve greater things - because millions of people will then be able to facilitate the process.

Am I being too idealistic with these expectations?