Fire of Liberty
As I was perusing the daily offering of news and information over at Glenn Reynold's ever so famous blog Instapundit, I came across this piece over at Popular Mechanics web-site that provides a fair and balanced look at the various alternative fuels and the feasibility of everyday motorists who travel to and from work. While I never been opposed to the private sector developing, producing and marketing an alternative fuel source (I'm just opposed to the gov't subsidizing the development of such fuels or forcing people to buy such fuels- Let the market do the work)other than oil based gasoline, I'm still far from convinced that this nation or its people will ever give up their thirst for oil.
All in all the Popular Mechanics article points that such fuels will never replace oil as our fuel but it's a start in diversifying our energy needs. If we supplement our usage of oil with these alternative sources, seek out domestic resources in places like ANWR and the Outer Continental Shelf and from shale and tar sands, reduce regulations on the production of gas, reduce the federal gasoline tax(The States already collect a tax on gas to build roads), reduce the 54 cent tariff on ethanol imports, as well as build more refineries in various parts of the nation then we'll find a way of reducing our dependency on foreign sources of oil. So I do find merit with alternative sources of fuel and the vehicles that run on them as long as it remains out of a hands reach of the government and the purses of the taxpayers.(Once the federal government gets involved all hell breaks loose.)
Anyway, check out the Popular Mechanics piece on the current alternative fuels and the up and coming fuels. I'd say from what I've read, this piece provides greater insight on the availability and feasibility of such fuels than what the MSM is hyping. Enjoy the read.
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2 comments:
Randy said
While I never been opposed to the private sector developing, producing and marketing an alternative fuel source (I'm just opposed to the gov't subsidizing the development of such fuels or forcing people to buy such fuels- Let the market do the work) other than oil based gasoline, I'm still far from convinced that this nation or its people will ever give up their thirst for oil.
As we've already discussed, the private sector is where the development should be. Let the market decide it's fate. That being said, it seems with the groundswell against 'big oil', NOW is the time for industries to advance the technology.
People will give up 'oil' when the cost gets to be too much. Face it, gas/oil...even with drilling in AK, will never go down. It may be a 'one step forward; two steps back' scenerio - gas drops for a few months only to go higher than the previous high when it goes up (that's been the case over the past few years). First the excuse was 'not enough refineries' then the excuse was 'Katrina'. Now the excuse is 'nervousness over Iran'. THERE WILL ALL BE AN EXCUSE! And to think, there really hasn't been a 'true' crises where supplies are harmed for a long period of time. The price of gas/oil will be astronomical.
The cost of gas/oil is already cutting in lower-income budgets (I fit into that). The middle class is next. Three dollars/gallon isn't too high for that sector yet...but what happens when it's four dollars years from now. What happens if it gets to five?
My dad bought a new truck just because his old gas-guzzler was costing him too much driving to work. He had been driving the same truck for years...but even he was forced to change.
People will change....especially when gas/oil becomes unaffordable to the middle/class - the driving force of the American economy.
It may not be this year...and probably won't happen for years. It'll happen though.
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