There has been a nudging over the last decade or so to decrease the use of foreign oil and increase the use of cleaner emitting alternative fuels. While I'm not one to fully embrace the notion that our fuel consumption is going to cause drastic fluctuations in global temperatures, I am a proponent in limiting our dependence of natural resources from areas of the world that aren't our strongest allies. The debate has been endless, deep in thought, superficial in realistic progress and the absurdity of the political brothel that has developed fills a room with foul odors and ill wills at the mere thought. In recent times, with the increase in global crude prices (especially BRENT) and added pressure on car manufactures to produce more fuel efficient vehicles (though not very well supported by consumers on any consistent basis) perhaps now is the perfect time to align two of the behemoths of the industrial sectors to kill a flock of birds with one stone (which in itself could start an ecological disaster that only Al Gore could predict).
This may not be an original thought, but as I have not read it myself, here we go.
In recent history, new technology, in the form of hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" (you can read more @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_fracturing) has opened the door to originally unattainable sources of crude oil AND natural gas. Recent estimates that I have read say that there is enough natural gas now attainable to fuel the United States for 120 years.
Natural gas, along with coal, is the foundation for the majority of power plants in the United States. Natural gas alone provides 24% of our total energy needs ( see http://needtoknow.nas.edu/energy/energy-sources/fossil-fuels/natural-gas.php for further info).
On the auto industry front, the only real headway that has been made in terms of fuel efficient vehicles that have found traction with the consumer are hybrids and electric vehicles. This ethanol stuff is a bunch of BS that is only alive because of government subsidies and the fact that Iowa (which grows a lot of corn) is the first state to hold their primary (or caucus in this case) for presidential elections (see the correlation).
Some of the main arguments against hybrid or electric vehicles are that:
1. The battery technology hasn't advanced far enough to store enough charge without needed to always plug your car in.
2. You have to throw the batteries away eventually which is an environmental hazard in itself
3. It takes some energy source to actually charge the batteries, plugging your car into a wall outlet doesn't just come up with magic energy, so where do you get this from?
I have no insight on #1&2...just improve this technology...do it now. That's an order.
As far as number 3, Natural Gas is a clean burning energy source, and its cheaper than oil. Actually, natural gas prices have been depressed for some time now. With all of the found reserves now able to be tapped through fracking, there is "the potential" for a great depression in the price of natural gas as supply could skyrocket with no change on the demand side.
So what if Big Oil founded some sort of joint venture with the Auto Companies to build more natural gas power plants to provide additional energy to fill the batteries that power hybrids and electric vehicles, in turn causing demand to rise as you've found a new outlet for demand?
In turn, oil prices and subsequently gas prices drop as the demand for crude products ease which help with the sale of vehicles in the U.S.
The combined effect is most noticeably, the creation of greater natural gas infrastructure for an area of society that does not currently use it that much...TRANSPORTATION. The end result is the US imports less oil, and the cost of oil drops saving money at the pumps. Big oil can start fracking more creating jobs at home and the auto industry can have a clear direction in moving to the hybrid/electric car model and can thus lower their costs with increased economies of scale of production. Farm subsidies for ethanol can be slashed and federal deficits reduced. The only losers are the corn producers in Iowa.
Thoughts?
Sincerely,
Coco
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