1. Alternative Energy: Now or Later?<br />Brendan Connolly<br />Professor Quinn<br />April 10, 2011<br />“This intolerable dependence on foreign oil threatens our economic independence and the very security of our nation. The energy crisis is real. It is worldwide. It is a clear and present danger to our nation. These are facts and we simply must face them.” Jimmy Carter said this with the thought in mind that our nation can no longer depend on foreign oil and a change in our energy use is critical. In today’s world, oil is the predominant form of energy. Research has shown that the world’s supply is running out. I believe that a transition to renewable and green energy’s is a must for the long run of the well being of not only our country but for the world. Through my research I will explain that a switch to alternative fuels and energy types is needed now rather than in the future. I will include research on developmental technologies for new alternative fuels, how much oil is actually left on earth, what uses the most fossil fuels and what we can do to change that, and the transition from fossil fuels to alternative energy forms.<br />It is now certain that the current energy systems and technological advancements available in the world are not sufficient to make the planet free from the carbon dioxide that is emitted from those resources (Advantages 1). Research is being done to find new technologies for alternative energy that can be used in the masses to output massive amounts of energy, which will be able to maximize the benefit of producing energy without creating harmful byproducts or loss of energy. The world will have to switch to renewable energy resources very fast, because despite the availability of renewable energy resources, a large part of the world is still dependent on traditional energy sources such as coal and gas (Advantages 1). If the transition to renewable energy is not made then the world’s overdependence on fossil fuels will cause an extinction of oil and coal by the end of the 21st century. Alternative energy sources are renewable and are thought to be quot;
freequot;
energy sources. They all have lower carbon emissions, compared to conventional energy sources. These include biomass energy, wind energy, solar energy, geothermal energy, and hydroelectric energy sources (Alternative 1). All of these forms of alternative energy are safe and renewable. They can contribute a great amount to the world’s energy crisis and help decrease our dependence on foreign oil. If these different forms of energy are implemented around the world, not only our country, we will all be better off and we will not use up all of the fossil fuels and fill our atmosphere with carbon emissions.<br />The earth’s oil supply is on the rapid decrease with the modern world’s dependence on fossil fuels. A transition away from fossil fuels is eminent and needs to be taken more seriously world wide because we can not keep going on the way we have been with out having the repercussions that comes with the negligence of a major problem. Research has been done that shows that our oil supply is definitely on the decline. One researcher said that of our known oil reserves, they would be depleted by 2033 at the earliest and 2146 at the latest. Similarly this scientist has said that the world’s natural gas will be depleted by 2038 at the earliest and 2165 at the earliest. Also that the earth’s coal will be depleted by 2049 at the earliest and 2448 at the latest (Laer 1). The range of dates is due to changing consumption and production rates. A person may be thinking that we still have over one hundred years to even have to worry about running out of fossil fuels. It may be true that we might have over one hundred years but it is not true that we have that long untill we have to start considering the transition to alternative fuels. Wind energy only accounted for 8% of our country’s total consumption and solar power only 1%. These numbers are extremely low for the wellbeing of our country. These types of alternative energy sources need to be more dominant in supplying our nation’s energy. <br />Gasoline is the number one use of oil in the United States. We use gasoline everyday in many different aspects. Mainly it is used for transportation to power our cars, buses, motorcycles ect. Gasoline consumption accounts for almost 45% of all oil consumption in the United States (Advantages 1). This number is staggering. If our nation can somehow limit or change the way people travel then we would be able to save fossil fuels and better our planet. There have been a few solutions that have been tried. One is the production of electric or hybrid cars that can be purchased from regular dealerships. These cars use electricity to power or assist their engines. Other solutions have been the manufacturing of trains that are fuel-efficient and can run on less energy and the increase of more fuel-efficient vehicles that aren’t necessarily hybrid. These are only temporary solutions. I believe that the only solution to the transportation problem in the United States is government intervention. There needs to be some sort of policy that can manage the amount of cars on the road or somehow get people to buy electric or hybrid cars with incentives. This will not only help decreasing our dependence on fossil fuels but will boost our economy as well. <br />The transition to fossil fuels is going to be an expensive, difficult and long road. There are so many factors that contribute to the difficulty of transitioning to alternative fuels but that does not make it any less necessary. Someone may think that it is no big deal and the real crisis will not hit us in our lifetime. Well it would be ignorant for that person to think that because our dependence on fossil fuels is already impacting out nation. This makes the transition even more important to our future not only to our country but worldwide. Researchers have suggested that we begin working on smartgrids, and many companies are laying the groundwork to construct mechanisms to move power across the country, but currently the United States does not have the infrastructure to make this transition. This does not make it impossible. This transition will not be easy and will take time. No matter the route we take it is essential that this transition happen sooner rather than later.<br />The transition to alternative energy forms is eminent for our planets long-term survival. Our dependence on oil is at an all time high and we simply cannot keep living like this. Eventually we will run out of fossil fuels and if the transition is not made to alternative and green energy forms, we will be unable to function as a country and a planet. It is known that our oil reserves will run out in the next 150 years. This does not mean that we cannot discover other reserves. This statistic should make people more aware of the present danger that lurks with our dependency on oil. Researchers and scientist are constantly working on new technologies to create alternative fuels and green energy forms. These forms of energy will have a huge impact on how our country gets its energy. Not only are these forms of energy efficient, but also they are clean and have a very low impact on our atmosphere and planet. Some think that our country currently does not have the infrastructure to support such a transition and alternative energy will simply not appear soon in our country. A solution to this problem might be government intervention to impose policies to major energy producing companies and citizens that might give incentives to using or creating clean and alternative fuels. Now this is a very broad solution, but I do believe a solution of this nature would be very effective. <br />In conclusion, the transition to alternative energy is a must and must happen sooner rather than later. As our oil reserves deplete, the need for alternative energy becomes eminent. As researchers develop new technologies, our country is well on our way to making this inevitable transition. If everyone contributes to solving this energy crisis, our nation and the world, will be better off. There have been many solutions discussed among researchers and scientists but most solutions include wind energy, solar power, and hydroelectric power, and clean burning fuels. All of these solutions could help lessen our dependence on oil and will help save our atmosphere and conserve what fossil fuels we have left. All in all, the transition to alternative fuels needs to take place on a national and international level now rather than in the future. We need to begin this transition before it is too late. This transition is eminent for our country and planet to be able to sustain itself in the future.<br />