In regard to "looking at alternatives to oil for our power needs", I think we found it in our part of the country, big time. Its called natural gas, where in the last 18 months they have found a possibly a 100 year (and counting) supply, and they seem to be finding more every day. Natural gas prices have plumited in the last 6 months - to only about 20% of what it was a year ago, before they cranked up the drilling. There's natural gas wells everywhere around here, and the natural gas is cheap and extraordinarily clean. Natural gas does not cause many of the environmental problems of solar and windpower. Everyone around here who's now running on natural gas tells me they are very pleased as well. About a year ago I installed a natural gas generator to run my central air system, and we're thinking of going off the grid completely, except when I change the oil in my generator's Ford engine. I swear by Ford engires for natural gas generators. If you don't have natural gas in your area, I recommend checking with a geologist in your area and have him or her check out the seismic data underneeath your area to see if you might also have a practically limitless supply, a whole lot cheeper kwh than they charge you in Vermot, and how. I'm also thinking of changing our family car over to run on natural gas, but that costs about $1,500 or so to do. The trick is that before you get a natural gas well drilled, insist that the driller allow you a tap and retain at the wellhead for free all the natural gas you use at your home for as long as your or your successors care to have it (and for your vehicles), before you allow them to drill.