Alternative Fuels for America

www.caranddriver.com ^ | 8-1-2010 | BY CSABA CSERE

[thackney]

Well said.

[sitetest]

Dear thackney,

Thanks.

All that being said, I think that we both agree strongly that our own government should stop interfering with the ability of companies to produce energy domestically in the United States.

I think that we're likely in agreement that we should be drilling in ANWR, drilling off the coast of California, drilling nearer to shore, in shallower waters of the Gulf, off the Atlantic coast, the Bakken - wherever there's oil. We should be doing the whole shale thing (It'll take decades to ramp up, what are we waiting for?), drilling for natural gas, so on and so forth.

But there is the second part of the equation, and that's how a largely unfree, partly-cartelized, largely sovereign-run world oil market impacts our own energy markets and domestic energy production industries.

How do you view the effects of the largely unfree world market on our own domestic energy production?

What role should our government play or not play in the mitigation of any negative effects?

Thanks again,

sitetest

[thackney]

How do you view the effects of the largely unfree world market on our own domestic energy production?

I see the foreign energy markets have been raised in importance due to the inhibiting of our own.

We are only "held ransom" by them because of our own policies.

We need more nuclear plants combined with nuclear fuel reprocessing. We need better access to our coal, oil, natural gas and shale resources.

We don't need govenment subsidies. We need less govermnent restrictions.

[Rocketwolf68]

Diesel is where the smart money is- it holds energy longer without evaporation, degradation, or storage in high pressure tanks, and is not as volatile or prone to explosions like the alternatives (although it does gel at sub-zero temps). Can't wait to see those 100,000 psi hydrogen tanks go off in some soccer mom's van- Yikes! The comparison of miles per barrel compared to gasoline is totally misleading. The apt comparison is how much farther you can travel on a gallon, and the savings over the life of the vehicle, resale value and time saved refueling due to the 700 mile tank range, not to mention the peace of mind that comes when you are not in a rolling flame thrower. I do think the grass, canola and other seed oils, with other farm grown fuels (algae) could save America's small farms, but of course zero would not approve of self reliance without massive gov’t control. It is far too easy for people to make their own diesel fuel with a seed press, and the government wouldn't be able to tax the crap out of it, so the EPA ties up foreign (and domestic) car companies with ridiculous diesel particulate emissions restrictions. (see: Mahindra diesel trucks). I fear they prefer a fuel that has to be funneled through their multi-tiered taxing system before it can be OK'ed for use by us...