This seems the fastest and most secure route to effective use of renewable sources at much higher levels.

Large-scale penetration of Plug-In and all Electric Vehicles with development of a smart(er) grid that can draw from those vehicles when the grid requires power.  

Blogging regularly at Get Energy Smart. NOW!!!

The reason I am against big barrages like the Severn scheme and in favour of tidal lagoons (particularly "mini" ones) is that the latter are so much less intrusive environmentally.

Their ability to handle pumped storage as well is just a bonus which makes them even more attractive financially.

But I am 100% with you on the electric car/fuel cell as storage point, which adds to my existing interest in

http://www.autoindustry.co.uk/articles/05-06-06

which is backed by some extremely well-connected auto world people.

Building a car around the fuel cell, rather than vice versa seems like the way to go, and they have brought the necessary fuel cell capacity (and hence cost) right down, which is the key.

I'm also interested in the "Open Source" thinking, because I believe it is possible to come up with a half-way house between "Open Source" ands "Proprietary", but that's another story.

"The future is already here -- it's just not very evenly distributed" William Gibson