Alternative Fuels in America
Bill Kozel
Ms. Livingston
English Comp 2
18 September 2012
Alternative Fuels in America
On a national average the world uses 87.8 million barrels of crude oil on a daily basis. In 2000 it was estimated that the US alone consumed nearly 20 million barrels of oil a day, which is about 5% more than similar nations (Friedman 195). Oil consumption is only going to increase until it peaks, then it will steadily decrease as oil supply goes down. It is predicted that oil consumption will peak by the year 2019 (Deffeys 7). Crude oil when burned emits toxic gases like carbon monoxide. These gases are harmful to humans and the environment. Crude oil will eventually run out if it continues to be used at the rate it is now. Crude oil comes from the remains of prehistoric plants and animal remains from thousands of years ago. It will take the earth thousands of years to regenerate more crude oil. Once crude oil is gone, it is gone for the current generation, as well as future generations. In Kenneth Deffeys book Beyond Oil, he explains how for years during the 1950’s up to the 1970’s America was the leader in oil production (17). These days the Middle East is the leader of oil production in countries like Saudi Arabia and Iraq (“Middle East”). The Middle East is very unstable and an unreliable source for oil. For example, look at the situation in the Middle East with terrorist attacking the US embassy. This is causing prices of fuel to rise all over the US and other parts of the world. It seems like there is nothing people can do to escape the high prices and other issues with fuel these days. However, there are alternatives like E85 ethanol and biodiesel that can help to put an end or decrease in these issues. These two sources are also sources that can be run in today’s conventional gasoline and diesel engines with in some cases little to no modifications. Alternative fuels such as e85 ethanol and biodiesel need to be more widely used in America because it would lift foreign
Ms. Livingston
English Comp 2
18 September 2012
Alternative Fuels in America
On a national average the world uses 87.8 million barrels of crude oil on a daily basis. In 2000 it was estimated that the US alone consumed nearly 20 million barrels of oil a day, which is about 5% more than similar nations (Friedman 195). Oil consumption is only going to increase until it peaks, then it will steadily decrease as oil supply goes down. It is predicted that oil consumption will peak by the year 2019 (Deffeys 7). Crude oil when burned emits toxic gases like carbon monoxide. These gases are harmful to humans and the environment. Crude oil will eventually run out if it continues to be used at the rate it is now. Crude oil comes from the remains of prehistoric plants and animal remains from thousands of years ago. It will take the earth thousands of years to regenerate more crude oil. Once crude oil is gone, it is gone for the current generation, as well as future generations. In Kenneth Deffeys book Beyond Oil, he explains how for years during the 1950’s up to the 1970’s America was the leader in oil production (17). These days the Middle East is the leader of oil production in countries like Saudi Arabia and Iraq (“Middle East”). The Middle East is very unstable and an unreliable source for oil. For example, look at the situation in the Middle East with terrorist attacking the US embassy. This is causing prices of fuel to rise all over the US and other parts of the world. It seems like there is nothing people can do to escape the high prices and other issues with fuel these days. However, there are alternatives like E85 ethanol and biodiesel that can help to put an end or decrease in these issues. These two sources are also sources that can be run in today’s conventional gasoline and diesel engines with in some cases little to no modifications. Alternative fuels such as e85 ethanol and biodiesel need to be more widely used in America because it would lift foreign
Cited: “7 Next-Gen Biofuels to Drive Beyond Gasoline”. popularmechanics,com. n.p. 10 Aug. 2008. Web. 16 Sept. 2012. “Biodiesel.”cyberlipid.org. n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2012. Deffeys, Kenneth S. Beyond Oil. New York: Hill and Wang, 2005. Print. “E85 Vehicles.” e85vehicles.com. Flexfuelvehicles, 2011. Web. 15 Sept. 2012. Friedman, David. “Alternatives to Fossil Fuels and the Long Term Energy Solution.” Energy Alternatives. Ed. Barbara Passero. Michigan: Thomson Gale, 2006. 193-201. Print. Goodstein, David. Out of Gas. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, Inc, 2004. Print “Impact of E85 on Health” cleanairtrust.org, n.p. 21 April. 2010. Web. 11 Sept. 2012. “Middle East.” Globalissues.org. n.p. 6 Mar. 2011. Web. 16 Sept. 2012. Nerad, Jack R. The Complete Idiots Guide: Hybrid and Alternative Fuel Vehicles. New York: Penguin Group, 2007. Print Woodside, Christine. Energy Independence. Connecticut: The Globe Pequot Press, 2009. Print.