Even though heating oil and gas prices have gone down, two dollars and thirty-nine cents at the Hess in the center of town, there is still a need for a new type of energy. Soon there will not be enough oil left to meet our increasing needs and the prices will once again sky rocket. The senate has addressed this issue and many clean energy legislation have been passed. One proposal approving solar powered and wind powered energy for the future has been discussed. This legislation will slowly end the large grasp the oil companies have on our economy.  Recent incentives such as the new energy tax credit have been passed to also assist with reducing our dependence on oil.

A major reason why we need to start the change to clean and efficient energy is the effect the production and consumption of oil has on the earth.  Our dependence has caused global warming among other environmental problems. In 2002 about forty percent of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was from the burning of oil. Coal issues ninety-three percent into the atmosphere from the electric industry.  These two renewable energies are the largest contributing factor in the release of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere.

Another contributor to the carbon dioxide issue is the automobile.  About thirty-three percent of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere comes from cars, and cars that have low gas mileage produce more.  America could save 25 million dollars in fuel yearly and save a million barrels of oil every day if gas mileage was increased by three miles per gallon for every car. Still, oil will run out sometime and we will need to turn to clean energy sooner or later.

The U.S. produces about three percent of the world’s oil yet; they consume twenty-five percent of it. The Energy Information Administration says that oil will not be available for nearly a decade and that introducing clean energy will decrease our dependence on foreign oil ten times. Big oil companies are making profits exceeding forty billion dollars, and it is costing Americans increasing more to drive to work in the morning. America consumes the most oil even though we are one 4.54 percent of the population. Every time anyone spends the amount of one American dollar, the equivalent of half a liter of oil is burned to produce what the money buys.

Oil powers America life style and is used everyday; weather it is to get to work or to heat homes in the winter. Without it, America would not function because everything is based on the fossil fuels.  Soon there will not be enough oil available to meet our needs because we will have drilled it all and used it. There is a need for clean and efficient energy that would be used and help stop global warming. The money that goes into helping drill for the oil should go into research for a new type of energy to use. This new energy would benefit people every where.

Photo: caseyhelbling

Photo: ilmungo

A new plug-in hybrid called the VentureOne, which will arrive in the showrooms soon is one of the most unique vehicles we have ever seen.  It is a combination of a motorcycle and a car that has two seats and runs on three wheels.  It will be able to ride similar to the style of a motorcycle turning sharp corners and leaning from side to side.  The vehicle apparently uses advanced technology to determine the perfect balance while driving.  When I first learned about the three-wheel car, it seemed a bit dangerous, but it will supposedly be thirty times safer than a standard motorcycle.  It will have all the safety features of a vehicle like airbags, bumpers, and impact protection, and it’s going to be environmentally friendly getting about 100 mpg and equipped with two 20 kW electric motors and a 17 kWh lithium ion battery pack.  More importantly the manufacturer is really trying to show how environmentally friendly the vehicle is, coming in three different shades of green.  I’m surprised that they are coming out with this vehicle because I am not sure how many people will find it appealing.  It is a very cool piece of technology, but I am not sure that the average driver will choose to purchase one of these.  Despite being fast and fuel efficient, it will be expensive and drivers might not find it safe.

Another interesting soon to be vehicle in the hybrid market is the Honda FCX Clarity, a fuel cell car that will be available in 2008.  The vehicle will run on a hydrogen fuel cell stack.  It will produce electricity, but no exhaust emissions will come out of the tailpipe.  Honda is also working on trying to build a hydrogen fueling station for homes.  It would be very convenient for an owner of one of these cars if the company were able to create such a home based refueling station.  What I really took notice of was that the hydrogen station would also supply a house owner with heat and electricity in addition to producing hydrogen fuel.  From the natural gas, it would generate the hydrogen for homes.  I could imagine that this would expensive, but would be extremely efficient reducing energy costs as well as emissions dangerous to the environment.  It is unlikely that this home fueling station will be out for several more years.  It’s a really intriguing idea that people should take notice of, but who knows what other types of fuel-efficient vehicles will come out during that period of time.

There are now numerous different types of fuel-efficient cars out now and many arriving in the future.  Drivers need to take an interest in what is coming out and should take a closer look.  They might be more expensive then the average car, but are incredibly more efficient and better for the environment.

Photo Credit: geognerd