Complexity, controversy, and timidity continue to rule considerations of energy policy for the United States. This combination of impediments has guaranteed the continuing absence of a rational and comprehensive policy reconciling energy, environmental, economic, and security issues. A pragmatic set of energy milestones for America to achieve by the end of the first quarter of the next century can be easily defined: • The last coal-fired power plant and the first environmentally benign fusion power plant would have been built. • The first commercial assembly plant for hydrogen-fueled automobiles would have reached full production along with the creation of the necessary hydrogen fuel infrastructure throughout the country. • Clean, safe, and efficient transportation systems would have fully replaced the automobile in the core areas of the ten largest cities. • The first total conversion of a southwestern suburb to solar heating and cooling, solar electric house power, and solar electric cars would have been completed.
