And the oil companies can waste research funds and time while they keep fattening their wallets off oil revenues.

If anything, the government should add taxes onto oil based fuels that are earmarked for alternative energy research by companies not related/owned/managed by oil companies or any part of the oil industry. Or start a manhattan project style alternative energy development project. Again - keep the oil industry out as they have an absolute conflict of interest.

>I've wondered the same thing. I think it depends how the oil companies define themselves. Are they 'oil' companies or 'energy' companies? But I think it is stupid for the government or consumers to make those demands. That should be the prerogative of the shareholders and boards.
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>> However, thinking about it, I am surprised that we demand the oil companies invest in renewable energy/alternative energy sources when in essence, they are researching on behalf of their own competition. Kind-of like asking McDonalds to invest in their competitor. For cars, the automakers are researching and investing in alternative systems which makes sense if they want to keep the business and remain competitive. For the oil itself though, it really should be optional for oil companies to invest in alternative fuel research and development. There is nothing stopping others from doing the same (as the government is) in order to compete with the oil companies.
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>>For the U.S., until she is willing to invest in the research and development or sponsor it, AND in the meantime, invest in harvesting oil here in this country and off-shore (as China and Cuba are off the coast of Florida), as well as use more nuclear alternatives, we are under the mercy of oil producing nations, the OIL cartel, and the oil companies.
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