Solving the Energy Problem

Why do we want to solve the energy problem? Look at the risks of doing nothing. How much of our trade imbalance is based on oil? Oil is a significant threat to our economy and world peace.

Hugo Chavez in Venezuela has threatened to cut off oil to the US? Vladimir Putin and Russia has the power for using natural gas and oil over Europe. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is using oil wealth to threaten destroying Israel and potentially starting a world war against the West?

Think about the war in Iraq? The fight between the Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds is over religion, power and oil wealth. Iran, Syria and the terrorists are all interested in Iraq’s power and wealth.

How about a potential overthrow of the pro US government in Saudi Arabia? Al Qaeda was spawned under the House of Saud, and a large number of their citizens hate their government. What happens if they lose power?

Why should we continue to give money, political power, and an economic weapon to people who hate us? The current risk of supply problems is significant, and would damage our economy.

How much of our trade deficit is based on oil? The 12 months through November 2007 the US imported 3,647,889 barrels. Assuming the average price over 2007 was approximately $75 (Current prices are in the low $90’s), oil imported was approximately $273.5 billion in 2007. Our trade deficit in 2007 was $711.6 billion, making oil imports about 38% of the deficit.

To solve the oil problem, we need plans for the long term as well as the short term. This is a series of solvable projects that needs a long term vision to happen.

Short term actions:
Drill more domestic oil off all the coasts and in Alaska to cover the next decade. Everyone points to the potential for pollution. Oil drilling and transportation processes have improved dramatically over the last 50 years. The rare accidents are cleaned up quickly. Oil will always be needed for premium energy, plastics and products. The US needs to increase production.

Locate more natural gas reserves and develop pipelines to heat buildings and homes. Our infrastructure is reaching its limits, and needs expansion.

Find better ways to clean pollution from coal emissions, and require the whole world to use the technology (including China, India, Russia and developing countries) for a level playing field. China and India are causing three to ten times the pollution than the US. Why should we be held to higher unfair standards like the Kyoto protocol than the rest of the world?

About global warming:
Human caused global warming is not scientifically proved beyond a doubt. Global warming is a natural cycle with a little human contribution since the industrial revolution.

Why is a 1 degree Fahrenheit (0.5 degree Celsius) increase over 100 years traumatic? History shows a normal range of variation around 3 degrees Fahrenheit (1.7 degrees Celsius) in the last 2,000 years. Go back millions of years and the natural temperature variation is larger. The biggest factor related to global warming is the natural variation in the output from the Sun.

The fanatics are talking CO2 will destroy the world. People and animal exhale CO2. Are we talking about people and animals breathing CO2 being the main cause of a pending future natural disaster? I don’t think the world is that fragile.

If human kind is contributing less than 1% to 5% maximum of global warming, why are some panicking? Most of the research is based on computer models that are simpler than reality. These models do not work well when compared with current data. Look at the hurricane predictions from 2006 & 2007. The results missed reality going the wrong way from the faulty models. Most global warming models are based on faulty logic. The lack of good science is why I do not take global warming seriously as a panic.

Long term actions:
Generate more electricity using solar and nuclear. Solar electrical generation is finally becoming efficient enough to be cost effective. It could generate 10% of future needs as well as being pollution free. Tax incentives and private industries should be the source of solar products.

Nuclear energy is the choice of many countries including Canada, Britain, Spain and France. France generates 90% of their electricity from nuclear power. The plants in the US are aging, and need to be replaced with new, safer designs that are also more energy efficient soon. The older nuclear plants need to be retired for safety. Legal battles with environmental extremist have prevented new nuclear energy plants. We need to make nuclear power politically possible and economically feasible.

Convert hybrid cars to plug in hybrids to use less oil. This requires more electric generation from solar, coal and nuclear. Hybrids work because of the expanded range for practical transportation. Pure electric cars are too limited in distance for average commuting, and public transportation takes too much time for busy Americans to use. Most of us do not live near transportation that goes near our offices without doubling our commuting time. Time is our most valuable resource. This is why less than 3% ride public transit to work.

Create fuel cells to replace the gas engine generating electricity for hybrids. Fuel cells are getting close to being more economical for gasoline and alternative fuels like ethanol, natural gas and hydrogen.

Grow and develop grass based ethanol since corn based ethanol is too energy inefficient. Grass based ethanol generates much more energy than corn at a lower cost. We also need a pipeline system that carries ethanol. Transporting ethanol in trucks is too expensive and unreliable for extensive use.

The Results of Energy Independence Program:
A ten year program for energy independence will bring world oil back to $30 - $50 per barrel when the US stops importing oil. Dictators will have loss their income and a threat to use against the West. The possibility of war would be reduced. The American economy would improve with less trade imbalance.

The technology is there for everything proposed here. It takes a leader, political commitment, private and governmental investment, and the will to get it done. We are ready for the leadership to step up.