how will america survive without foreign oil? ideas for today and tomorrow
TRANSCRIPT
How Will America Survive Without Foreign Oil?
Ideas for Today and Tomorrow
America is the World’s Largest Consumer of Energy America has
approximately 5% of the world’s population
We consume approximately 30% of the world’s energy
Americans consume more than twice the energy of citizens of industrialized nations
More than 50% of the oil consumed in America is foreign Key suppliers
include: Mexico Canada Venezuela Saudi Arabia
This dependency costs money
What Would We Do If This Foreign Oil Was Disrupted?
IS THERE A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE?
EFFICICIENCY IS THE ANSWER
3 Main Sectors of consumption
TRANSPORTATION
Most Petroleum is Used for Transportation
Today’s Situation
We use 19.5 million barrels of oil a day for transportation
On 2001, more than 10% of our Gross Domestic Product was spent on transportation
Emissions from automobiles emit 22% of America’s greenhouse gases a year
How is transportation inefficient
Vehicles can be much more fuel efficient Lighter materials Better engine design Fuel additives Hybrid Vehicles
Savings add up Money saved each year on fuel Money saved on related costs
Short-term Goals and Caveat1) Increase the use of additives2) Increase minimum MPG on automobiles
Do both of the above without affecting vehicle prices
Long-Term Strategy
1) 55 MPG vehicles within 20 years2) 50% ethanol fuel within 20 years
Caveat – Keep cars safe and powerful
How Did We Get Here?
Waste No carpooling Bigger cars
Thriving Economy Cheap gas More powerful cars
Americans Love Our Cars
It’s a big country We’re used to the
convenience The use of private
vehicles for transportation is going to stay
We are on the move
Americans traveled nearly 5 trillion miles in 1999
Vehicle use is on the rise
WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT?
Americans will not kick the car habit in the near future This means the only short-term solution is
to: Demand more efficient vehicles Use renewable fuel additives such as ethanol
Better mileage
Fuel technology alone can increase economy to 40 miles per gallon
The Solution is Simple: Corn
Current ethanol production
Corn used for ethanol production
Ethanol is more efficient
100 BTUs of energy to produce 135 BTUs of ethanol
100 BTUs of energy to produce 85 BTUs of gasoline
Current vehicles can use it
Every automobile manufactured for sale in the US is capable of running with an ethanol fuel additive
Some diesel engines can even operate with mixtures containing as much as 85% ethanol
Why is it good?
It’s made in America It’s renewable It costs about the same as gasoline It burns cleaner It prevents freezing gas lines We can grow as much as we need
More Efficient Vehicles
Increasing fuel use to 55mpg will save 4 billion barrels of oil over the next 12 years
By 2020, we can save 4.8 million barrels a day – more than we currently import from the Persian gulf
We already have the technology
The other main use of oil is for production of other forms of energy Heat Electricity Steam
More efficient homes = less oil needed to create this energy Better construction Solar power Geothermal
heating and cooling
Wind production Lighting
Insulation = savings
Building “super insulated” homes use only about 20% of the energy to heat and cool
The cost of construction is saved in less than 2 years
Where is it lost?
Simple solutions can equal big energy savings Weather stripping Double pane windows Foam core doors Attic fans Higher quality insulation Southern windows
Solar power for heat and electricity
Two types of solar
Electricity production Heat production
Making your own electricity A midsize photovoltaic solar panel
will: Cost approx $10,000 after incentives Produce 24% of the electricity used by
the average household Eliminate 7600lbs of CO2 emissions in
one year
The Sun can heat...and cool: Solar energy is
easily converted to heat
It can also be used in a system that cools
The steps of solar heating
The sun heats water between layers of glass or other material
The water is circulated throughout the home radiating its heat
The cooled water is circulated back through the glass plates
Don’t forget the swimming pool
Wind in your home
Let the Earth heat and power your home
Other ways to “plug the leaks”
Combined Heat and Power
These systems are readily available
“Normal” energy production is 20%-30% efficient.
CHPS are approximately 80% efficient.
What does it mean?
Current Legislation
There is a surprising amount of efficiency legislation either on the books
or pending in Congress
Energy Interconnect Legislation
Combined Heat and Power Advancement Act of 2001
Designed to promote the development of CHP systems by providing equal access to the power grid
H.R. 4 of 2001 Residential Energy Tax Credit
Stuck in committee
S.828Tax Credit for Energy Efficient
Property
Stuck in committee
S.804Fuel Efficiency Bill
Stuck in Committee
There are currently 12 energy efficiency related bills pending in the
Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
Where Does That Leave Us?
Propose More Legislation
Tax Incentives
Slowly Regulate Old Technology Out of Existence
Fund More Research
We can afford it
Energy savings will recoup investment costs
Lower pollution will free up funds for other purposes
Fewer environmental cleanup disasters
Efficiency is the Answer
Now and Later