From the information I have seen, the alternative energy technologies will not be the panacea they appear to be, in regards to replacing what oil did for recent human development, its proliferation, and its necesity, in maintaining the perks of modern life, especially in the developed countries. The world is interlinked by the new communicatin technologies like never before, and other countries peoples ( China, India, etc ), are learning about, and want to attain for thier populations, the conveniences that we americans have come to enjoy. Now I would not question that they deserve these emenities of life, just as we feel we are worthy of them, but, the worlds remaining resources, can not provide for this, this many people, using so much, the limits of sustainability will therefor be reached, on many fronts. People will do thier best to adapt, it is human nature. Population will eventually find its upper limits against the backdrop of what earths resources can sustain. There will be places for some time to come, where life is good for the fortunate ones, but more and more, the quality of life for the rest, we become increasingly degraded, by the incessant needs of the mass consumer cultures we have developed. The future is coming fast, and we shall see, what it brings us.