if the government tries to tell companies what to research, they'll do a half-assed job.
the only way is if the companies are driven by consumers, and therefore profits, to find new energy solutions.
it's difficult, because we can't all just boycot gasoline, or heating fuel, or electricity made from coal.
we need these things to conduct our lives,
and the companies know that in the end we will pay whatever we have to.

using gas as an example, it should be enough for the oil companies to realize that whoever develops the first universally usable fuel cell can control the next generation's energy needs.
instead they'll all wait until the world runs out of oil, some lab assistant working in a hut somewhere discovers the secret, and the world ends up ruled by Nepal (or someone to that effect)

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