The first person to develop an automobile battery that surpasses existing technology will receive the prize which equates to $1 for every man, woman and child in the country. McCain wants the device to deliver power at 30 percent of current costs.

He also proposed stiffer fines for automakers who border on violating the current fuel-efficiency standards and promised to provide U.S. automakers with a $5,000 tax credit for every zero-carbon emissions car they sell.

Does anyone else smell the makings of a great idea?

If McCain is serious about going through with this so-called “Clean Car Challenge” it might mean the end of our oil dependency. People will do just about anything for money, so what better way is there to get people to start thinking about alternative energy sources than to offer cold hard cash?

Three hundred million is a lot of money but it would be hard for someone to disagree with spending that amount on finding alternative energy sources. Environmentally safe energy is something people want and need. Rewarding $300 million to someone for finding a better way to power cars is a more productive way of spending money than paying inflated prices for oil or using it for war purposes.

Last week, McCain mentioned the possibility of lifting the ban on offshore drilling to ease supply concerns but only if individual states will allow it.

Even though McCain supports offshore drilling, it’s great that he’s still trying to get people to think about alternative energy sources. He’s thinking outside the box and that’s what matters.

Offshore drilling should only be used as a last resort. We can’t tap those resources just because we know they are there. We have to search for other energy sources to replace what’s being used.

Some people might say McCain’s proposal is just a political maneuver designed to get more votes. Even if it is, this is a project he should want to see through the end. If McCain loses the election, he should still push for Sen. Barack Obama to vigorously continue the search for alternative energy sources.

The idea of offering incentives to the automotive companies — like the $5,000 tax credit for every zero-carbon emission car sold — is also a great idea which might encourage more production of environmentally-friendly cars.

There also should be stricter fuel efficiency standards and tougher fines for automakers who violate those standards. China requires all of their vehicles to achieve between 21 and 43 miles per gallon, whereas U.S. automotive companies such as General Motors Corp. can get away with producing trucks like the Hummer H3 which gets only 13-18 miles per gallon.

Proposals like the “Clean Car Challenge” will get people excited to find more innovative ways of developing and maximizing alternative energy sources.

We owe it to ourselves and the environment to search for alternative energy sources that wouldn’t be as harmful to our pockets or on the environment.