You got it. Venture capitalists are pouring billions into alternative energy. Every little blip in the fossil fuel market, every little Japanese quake that shuts a nuc plant, each political hiccup leads to even more interest in locally-produced alternative fuels.
Today Ernst & Young projected $375 billion will be invested in alternative energy companies over the next decade. Not nearly as much as the U.S. has spent in Iraq, but still a pretty big number. More than Exxon's annual profit at least.