I found this CNN interview with Harvard historian Niall Ferguson very interesting. The topic is the impact of the production of shale gas in the United States, and its economic and political impact. While this has nothing to do with LENR in terms of science or technology, I feel like the discussion has relevance here, as it deals with the impact of energy breakthroughs on society.
Some points that Ferguson brings out about shale gas:
It today accounts for about half of all natural gas produced in the U.S. from nothing a few years ago.
It is driving down the cost of electricity which is now one third of the cost of German electricity.
It is bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. because of cheap energy costs.
Coal power plants are being replaced by cleaner gas plants.
The question that comes to my mind after watching this is, if shale gas can already have such an impact in just a few years, what happens when the E-Cat is introduced?