If you are interested in some of the latest scientific thinking coming out of California - the hot bed of renewable energy - I came across the PARC (Palo Alto Research Center). PARC was founded in 1970 as part of Xerox Research, then incorporated in 2002 as an independent research business.

You can download a whole range of videos of the actual presentations from leading professors (Stanford, Berkley etc.) and business leaders talking about issues ranging from the history of solar power, carbon capture science, ocean exploration to Northern Californian aviation. A wide variety of topics from the critical thinkers of our time.

This particular video caught my attention - Solar PV: The Path From Niche to Mainstream Supplier of Clean Energy.

I features a presentation by Dr. Richard Swanson, President and CTO of SunPower, where he makes a case for photo-voltaic (solar cells) generated electricity being cost-effective for grid power, without the need for incentives, within the next decade.

Each video is about an hour long, it streams very quickly with no problems. Sit back, relax, get the popcorn and channel your inner nerd.

Check out the PARC video archive for the brain food on offer.