Random articles on alternative energy

Below are some links to articles that have come along in the past few weeks:

• Red Herring had a couple of good surveys of flywheels and fuel cells. Interesting quote from the latter article: "While the technology might still be shaky, its promise is certainly large enough to be worth pursuing, even if early adopters have to endure a few moments of shaking, tapping, and cursing." Fuel cells, of course, continue to have their critics.
  

• Stirling Energy Systems has been in the news a bit lately. Here's the latest such mention. It's a different take on solar from what you might usually picture -- far different from panels on rooftops.

• As CleanEdge noted, BP has made a big commitment to commercializing alternative energy technologies, pledging to invest up to $8B over 10 years, in large part through their newly-formed division BP Alternative Energy. Notably, they expect BP Solar to hit $1B in sales in 2008. This is all a big deal for clean energy investors, since it not only provides further momentum, but could signify good M&A exit dynamics. Coincidentally or not, one academic believes that "peak oil" happened over the Thanksgiving weekend -- did you notice?