The effects on our energy security and environment of the nation's enormous and growing petroleum consumption have long been of national concern. Even with the call for conservation and renewables you will see below why we are still not living the frugal life that environmentalists and religions would require. And the real problem with their advice is they want you to live like a hermit, but they don't.

The transportation sector currently accounts for about 66 percent of all petroleum used in the United States and approximately 25 percent of total energy consumption. Each day, vehicles in the United States consume about 10 million barrels of petroleum, primarily in the form of gasoline and diesel fuels. The U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects that this figure will rise to about 15 million barrels by 2010, and that much of this consumption will be met by importing oil. While U.S. petroleum consumption has increased, domestic production of petroleum continues to decrease. According to the EIA, net United States importation (imports minus exports) of petroleum was 54 percent of total consumption (19.7 million barrels per day) during 2002, of which approximately 40 percent came from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

U. S. Consumption of Total Energy by End Use Sector

2002

(Quadrillion Btu

Residential                  20.0 %

Transportation              26.7%

Reasons for the continued increase in vehicle petroleum consumption:

• An increase in the number of vehicles on the roads;

• An increase in the number of vehicle miles traveled;

• An increase in sales of light trucks;

• An increase in vehicle horsepower and weight.

First  Given the advances in fuel efficiency over the past few decades, why will vehicle petroleum consumption continue to increase? First, Americans are driving more. According to the Transportation Energy Data Book, 56 percent of American households owned one vehicle in 1960. In 2000, the majority of households owned two vehicles.

Second, between 1969 and 2001, the average annual miles traveled per driver in the United States increased from 8,685 to 14,542—an increase of 67 percent.

Third, light truck sales have increased more than sales in any other vehicle class due to their increased use as personal passenger vehicles. Light trucks include pick-ups, minivans, sport utility vehicles, and vans. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers estimates that between 1980 and 2003, the light truck market share increased from 22 percent to 56 percent of total vehicle sales.

Finally, vehicles are becoming more powerful and heavier. Increases in fuel efficiency have not corresponded to increases in fuel economy. Instead, gains in fuel efficiency often have been used to increase vehicle horsepower and size (weight). The average new light vehicle fuel economy is about the same today as it was 20 years ago. Average vehicle horsepower, on the other hand, has jumped by 45 percent since 1990. So as the number of vehicles owned per household has increased, along with the increased number of light trucks purchased and vehicle miles driven, Americans have essentially canceled out any gains in fuel savings over the past 30 years.

A new proposed Senate bill would:

— Authorize new research into development of electric vehicles, including "plug-in" hybrids that would use conventional power grids, and a $1.3 billion, decade-long program in vehicle battery research.

— Require the government to buy more fuel efficient vehicles, use more electricity from renewable energy sources and cut energy consumption in federal buildings by 30 percent by 2015.
 

My comments: This bill is absurd.

• Where do they think the energy comes from for plug-in Vehicles, the wall sockets? And batteries have been researched since Tom Edison's time with very little  new results.

• And renewable fuels for vehicles? Renewables now stretch to supply 3% of the energy supplied in the US. 

 2.0 What we should do about energy in our future?

We should not succumb to the mantra of the Environmentalists and many Religious organizations who continually accuse Americans of self flagellation and self indulgent because we constitute 5% of the worlds population, but we consume 35% of the worlds resources. We are a great nation that has developed technology and resources to the betterment of mankind and we should not be ashamed of it. Other nations can do it also if they follow our lead, and we can help them. Because we live well does not mean others cannot.

DOE’s  Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology sponsors R&D programs aimed at maintaining the operating capability of the nation’s existing nuclear power plants and developing the next generation of nuclear technologies. Nuclear energy is our nation's largest source of emission-free electricity. The 103 U.S. nuclear units supply about 20 percent of the electricity produced in the United States – second only to coal as a fuel source. The Nuclear Energy program is working to develop cost-efficient technologies that further enhance nuclear safety, minimize the generation of nuclear waste, and further reduce the risk of proliferation.

Nuclear energy using the Fast Breeder Reactors can supply mankind energy as long as we are on this earth. We should restore the Fast Breeder development programs that President Clinton stopped as payoff to the environmentalists.

 We should follow Frances lead and immediately go to commercial nuclear power as our major energy source. We should not rely on renewables because they are only  part time 

Here is France's reply about energy security.

The development of nuclear energy enabled us to meet several objectives: energy independence and security of supply, and competitive stable energy prices. This nuclear option is also an economic and commercial asset for our country, whose capabilities in this cutting - edge area are world-renowned. In partnership with the French nuclear builder Areva SA and the European energy leader Electricite’ de France (EDF), we are building a revolutionary, safe and competitive nuclear reactor - the EPR - that will come on line around 2015. This new generation reactor will allow us to take a fresh step forward in risk prevention as well as in environmental protection, since it will create less waste.  

 

Achieving Energy Independence

1.31.07   Alan Caruba, CEO, The Caruba Organization

One of the key elements of President George W. Bush's State of the Union speech involved energy issues. Lost in the discussion was the fact that the United States has vast amounts of known, untapped reserves of oil and natural gas, reason to expand its nuclear capabilities, and, in my view, should begin now--on a "wartime" schedule--an accelerated effort to achieve energy independence. Let’s start by understanding there are now three hundred million Americans. More people increase the need for more electricity. America currently must generate 15.43 trillion kilowatts of electricity and is in immediate need of more. This is why, following every winter storm, the very first piece of news reported is how many people are without electricity. To put it another way, no electricity means an instant return to the days when heat come exclusively from a fireplace or wood-burning stove. Light came from candles or lanterns burning whale oil. Nothing ran on electricity because there was no electricity. Try to imagine getting through your day without electricity.