Just because the earth has had a few billion years to develop the fuel that’s in the ground, doesn’t mean that it’s cheaper. All we are doing is acting like we have a trust fund, in terms of how we use it.
At some point, even if that point is 500 years in the future, we will have to consider alternatives. I’d rather have 500 years of technology and knowledge behind us on how to develop those alternatives then wait until we need it and then start to consider them.
I do agree with you that it’s more pie in the sky at the moment, but that doesn’t mean it will always be so.
I’d hate to have it come down to a panic thing. Those people who say no more oil don’t realize what other products come from oil. Out of a barrel of oil you get just two gallons of gasoline. Everything from oil is taken out and what’s left you pave roads with it. Maybe the technology isn’t around right now to produce super batteries for cars and trucks that allow them to go four hundred miles on a ten minute or less charge. But perhaps in the future there will be.
Google “abiotic oil.”
There’s enough evidence now that I’m extremely skeptical about oil NOT being a renewal resource.