Fuel and Energy Alternatives » Fossil Fuels

Started a new tips for better gas mileage page

admin — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 01:20:24 +0000

Page link should be here. It’s a bit lean now, but there are some good mileage and biodiesel links. More to be added as time allows.

Ban on Offshore Drilling to expire

admin — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:51:21 +0000

Just caught this news. It looks as though the ban on offshore drilling in the United States will be allowed to expire. There is an expectation that there will be restrictions placed on offshore drilling (Florida offshore drilling is apparently controlled by separate bill.)

Our Best Solution is a Highly Diversified Energy Plan

admin — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:33:23 +0000

In the last several decades there has been an argument over the energy policy in the United States. On the one side there are efforts to allow for more oil discovery and drilling, greater refinery capacity, etc. The other side says NO drilling that fossil fuels are bad and we need to invest in their replacements. The problem is that in all of this there has been little real progress. Yes, our technologies are improving, but the reality is that we need to develop a broad, comprehensive and DIVERSE energy security plan. Drilling for more oil alone will not answer our energy problems, neither will investing in ONLY wind and solar. I’m not saying this to

take sides, I’m saying this because I’m right in the middle here. I see great potential for solar, microhydro power and wind power. I’ve made use of solar extensively in certain projects. I’ve planned and considered microhydro power as a supplemental power source. I see it’s potential as very good. Biofuels have potential. The problem is we really need diverse energy supplies because we have diverse energy needs.

Yes it’s possible to have battery powered cars. However, batteries can be expensive to replace, heavy and contain potentially hazardous materials. There are still downsides. Biofuels would make a great substitute for petroluem fuels, but…. the demand for more soybean and corn to make them puts pressure on food prices (slightly more crucial in many parts of the world.)

So, this is why I say we need a DIVERSIFIED plan.

I’m sure there are some that say – well the government just needs to invest in research to perfect these technologies. That’s certainly possible, but the development time for the kinds of improvements take several years. Fortunately with the recent years pressures on oil prices there has been private research for several years already on many alternative energy fronts. Hopefully things are such that we may start seeing an easement in our energy problems in the next five years.

What’s really nice is that as new energy solutions come online they will take pressure off of existing sources of energy.

Gasoline Shortage in the Southeast

admin — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 21:50:53 +0000

In the wake of Hurricane Ike, the southeast United States is still facing severe cash shortages. From what we hear the pipelines are not at full capacity yet. (Refineries aren’t completely back up from the shutdown.) Anyway, our area here in the mountains of Western North Carolina we have seen some fairly severe shortages, long lines at gas stations, etc. The local school systems seem to be canceling events after school due to the shortage. It’s affecting businesses as well. There are hopes that by the middle of next week things will be back to normal, but at the moment many of us are running on empty…..