Energy Independence Myths and Solutions
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Transcript of Energy Independence Myths and Solutions
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EEgy IdEEdEE Myth d tI
Everyone expresses concern about energy independence. We are awash in pronouncements about the
need for more solar, wind, clean coal and nuclear power. But no amount of new electrical power would
make us any more independent. The United States already gets 100% of our electricity from our domestically
produced coal, natural gas, nuclear, hydroelectric, wind and solar. We are already energy independent whe
it comes to generating electricity. The problem is not energyindependence its oilindependence.
Since virtually every car, truck, bus, train, ship and plane runs on oil, expansion of nuclear, solar, win, ec.
will ave no impac on oil inepenence. These promising technologies may replace coal for electricity
generation, but will not decrease oil demand.
True energy independence requires that oils monopoly over trans-
portation fuel be broken. Since most cars sold in America todaycan run only on gasoline, the monopoly holds our transportationhostage. Only fuel choice via ex fuel can break that monopoly.Since cars consume approximately half of the 20 million barrelsof oil we consume daily, this would have the greatest impact forthe least cost.
An Open Fuel Standard ensuring that every car sold in Americais ex uel capable is the cheapest and most-efective way tobreak oils monopoly over transportation uel, strengtheningAmericas security and economy.
* Flex fuel ecnolo exiss an can be implemene swifl.
Flex fuel vehicles have comprised the majority of new cars in Brazfor years.
* Flex fuel ecnolo is ceap.is technology costs less than $100 per vehicle.
* Flex fuel ecnolo rul is exible.Flex fuel enables cars to run on any blend of gasoline and alcohol,such as ethanol or methanol. Such fuels can be made economicallfrom a variety ofnon-petroleum energy sources, including coanatural gas, biomass, waste, corn and sugar.
Many cars sold in America are already exfuel capable, including the No. 1 sellingFord F-150. e following new cars comeex fuel capable: Chevrolet Impala, Chev-rolet Uplander, Chrysler Sebring, ChryslerTown & Country, Dodge Avenger, FordCrown Victoria FFV, GMC Yukon, MercuryGrand Marquis FFV, Nissan Armada,Nissan Titan, Mercedes C300 and Bentley.
SUE: U.S. EE ITI IISTTI
U.S. EEITUES :
$30 bllon per year.COAL
OiL
UT I BIIS
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
U.S. EEITUES I:
$600 bllon per year.
Ol s alsothe largestcontrbutorto U.S. CO2emssons.
Flex fuel s already here.
I
TE
42%
37%
21%
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The challenge with ex fuel is the difculty in locating a station that pumps it. f mericas 121,000 gas stations,
only about 1,275 stations in 41 states currently offer E85.
That will change when all cars come ex fuel capable. t 10-12 million new cars per year in the U.S., it will
take only about three years for ex fuel to reach the 30 million cars needed to justify most gas stations to
invest in ex fuel pumps. With merican leadership, the pen uel Standard would become a global standard
forcing gasoline to compete against a variety of alternative fuels worldwide. These alcohol fuels can be
made domestically, as well as in frica, atin merica and South sia, thereby also enabling millions
of people to rise out of poverty.
Drilling and eciency wont do the trick.
Public debate on this issue has been domi-nated by calls to drill more (Republicans)or use less (Democrats). e reality isthat both methods perpetuate petroleumsmonopoly over transportation fuel, doingnothing to weaken OPECs stranglehold.
Members of the oil cartel OPEC sit on78% of world oil reserves, but account foronly 40% of global oil production. In 1973,
just before the Arab Oil Embargo, OPECproduced 30 million barrels per day. Today,
with global oil demand nearly doubled,OPEC produces an average of 29 million
barrels per day one million barrels lessthan in 1973!
OPECs strategy of deliberately constrainingsupply eectively manipulates oil pricesin order to maximize the revenue andpower of its member regimes while
blocking competition from alternativeenergy sources.
OPEC policies have resulted in:
exacerbating our trade decit
unding terror
strengthening anti-western dictators
and despots who desire our destruction
While electric cars present another strategiccomponent of oil independence, large-scalemarket penetration requires a much longertime line than ex fuel vehicles. Electriccars and liquid fuel exibility are comple-mentary rather than competing. A ex fuel,plug-in hybrid would enable the broadestcompetition among transportation fuels.By stretching each gallon of gasoline with
alcohol fuels and electricity, such a vehiclewould achieve hundreds o miles drivenor each gallon o gasoline used.
It is estimated that $100 billion of the U.S.defense budget one dollar per gallon is oil related. Our military protects the oilstates, protects oil routes, and ghts radicalIslam, which is itself funded by oil money.
By implementing the Open Fuel Standard,the U.S. can engage in global aairs from aposition of strength without the dangers
and costs associated with maintainingaccess to oil lanes. It is a maer of nationalsecurity, without which we have noother freedoms.
Wa we can o abou i
Each of us can insist to our congressmenand senators that they immediately passlegislation to require that every car soldin America must be ex fuel capable.
The Danger of the OPEC Monopoly
For addtonal
nformaton,please contact:
* nne [email protected]
* gal [email protected]
* Marc [email protected]
