This is something I don't hear the candidates for president talk about. I'm glad they talk about diversified alternatives to oil, and Obama encourages the consumer to take action within their own household by reducing one's own energy consumption. However, centralizing alternative energy production, simply shifts the production and sale of energy once again in the hands of a few, starting the cycle of complacent energy consumption and dependency all over again. It also still means that it leaves cities vulnerable when those energy lines get attacked or other disaster strikes. And finally, sending energy through lines is inefficient, as opposed to living right next to the source of energy, or having energy be distributed and decentralized.
If you go to "Follow the oil money",
http://prezoilmoney.oilchangeusa.org/ you can see that the more money you take from the oil industry, the more they take up a piece of real estate in your head. An increase in special interest money and face time with the lobbyists, makes folks more inclined to allow the special interests into one's policy decisions.
Look at the successful example of the
Barefoot College in India which teaches and empowers illiterate women, making them into engineers in six months showing them how to make their villages energy independent and off-grid, by installing solar and other sustainable technologies.
I'm told this Solatube puts out the equivalent of 300 watts, most likely during the midday hours. It puts out light as soon as the sun rises.
To do this I am using a replica of one off the earliest stationary diesel engines, which is still in production in India. I chose this design for its long lasting, time proven, clean burning, simple technology with very few moving parts. Again, considering the impact of manufacturing, I chose engine that may last for generations.