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In our December issue, Popular Science names the 100 best innovations of the year: bombproof wallpaper, self-parking cars, the fastest helicopter, and 97 more. Plus inventor profiles and videos.
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President-elect Barack Obama's energy initiatives focus upon electric-powered vehicles, wind turbines and solar energy. The plans necessitate building a transmission grid capable of delivering renewable power generated in remote places to distant cities. Grid developers face uncertainties in cost allocations and returns on investments, environmental concerns, landowner objections and a variety of regulations in different states served by the same power lines.
Solar energy possibilities are discussed at http://www.onebiosphere.com
New electricity from wind and solar sources could increase the regularity of blackouts and reduce the reliability of the nation's electrical grid according to experts. Energy from these new sources will impose new demands on a transmission system that was not designed for large power transfers over extremely long distances.