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The article focuses on the claim of a U.S. vice president that the nation can be repowered. According to the article, the unrealistic claim is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of technical innovation. It is stated that five of ten years from 2009, the nation's pattern of energy supply and dominant modes of conversion will be the same to arrangements in 2009. However, it is stated that coming years will offer an uncommon opportunity to turn the nation's policy in a more reasonable direction, leading to a difficult but rewarding path of global energy transition.

The author discusses the technologies applied to convert primary energy into more usable forms and which provide two-thirds of the U.S. technology. The author cites that some of the technologies include steam and combustion turbines used for electric generation, and the internal combustion engines spark-and compression-ignition, which are used for transportation. He notes that the main innovation in power and transportation technology is slow and call for increased research & development (R&D).