that is precisely what green companies (aka a front for oil companies) are lobbying against. They don't want "DIY" conversion because they want you to buy their products.
they are already investing heavily on it because it will be profitable for them in the future. They have to stay ahead of the game and be ready to pull it out when oil gets phased out (probably by federal regulation and/or customer demand).
No it is not new. It has been around for lot longer than you thought. They just keep it in their R&D labs while continuing to squeeze out as much profits as they can from oil until it's no longer profitable. It's a common misconception that green-friendly technology means cheap cheap cheap for you. Yes you will save a hell lot of bills but.... buying it is a different story. They are expensive. That's how they make profits! Oil Company profits from CONTINUATION. It's a typical "razor-and-blade" business model. You buy razor but you need to keep buying blades for life.
with green-friendly technology, they profit from SELLING it at high price. I'd like to call this IPOD business model. IPOD has a built-in battery and it lasts for x-years. If it dies, you have to buy another IPOD.
see above. it explains nicely, I hope. Oil Companies KNOW oil demand will go down. That's why they invest in green tech as part of their umbrella companies. Trust me - they're not that stupid. You're talking about a group of businessmen who have been doing this for centuries and they're the one who set the example of business models and they're the one who teach the business at Harvard/Princeton/Yale