It is legitimate that getting credible research on this subject can be difficult….

You state the challenge perfectly when you say “we must do this quickly, while we still have enough fossil fuels to power the tools necessary to build solar and wind machines.” I would add “and before the warming we will not be able to stop grows to where it threatens the good life we want for our descendants.”

Hopefully the day will come when clean energy abounds, but until it does, energy efficiency and energy reductions through reduced consumption are going to matter, to buy time for the transition to wind/solar. We can redirect the money saved by buying less gasoline and less “stuff” towards buying green energy, expanding energy research, creating green buildings, rain gardens, charitable giving, and for a host of new investment opportunities. The more hedonistic can spend the saved money on better bicycles, more time off work, longer summer camp for the kids, more theater and arts (just don’t jet to distance places to do it) and hired help for the tasks they don’t like to do. It’s unbelievable what we can do when we start thinking about the possibilities.