| If you haven't noticed, although I am sure you (and | | | | pursuing a more mainstream method to reducing our |
| your wallet) have, gas prices have dipped to a 5 year | | | | need for petroleum based fuels. |
| low. My local gas station hit $1.33 per gallon, which | | | | My solution is similar to the T. Boon Pickens plan. If |
| when compared to where it was makes it feel like I | | | | you are unfamiliar with his plan, he says we need |
| am getting it for free, although I know that is not | | | | build a wind farm from the Texas pan handle up |
| the case. | | | | through North Dakota which will supply all the |
| Suddenly as prices dropped so has the urgency to | | | | electricity we need. That is phase one. Phase two |
| find alternative fuel sources for our vehicles. With | | | | then says to convert our cars from gasoline to |
| recent events in the Middle East, gas prices have | | | | natural gas. It is not a bad plan, but it has flaws. For |
| slowly crept back up and a recent news report | | | | one, oil is not the major contributor to generating |
| claimed that we will more than likely see prices above | | | | electric in America, it is coal. Second very few natural |
| the $2.00 per gallon mark in the not too distant | | | | gas powered vehicles are available, and the cost to |
| future. | | | | convert an existing car to natural gas is too |
| Now is not the time to abandon hope of alternative | | | | expensive given today's economic conditions. |
| fuel for our vehicles. In fact we all should be striving | | | | My solution says lets build the wind farm so we can |
| to assist in anyway we can. For example if you have | | | | replace coal as our fuel source for electricity. Then |
| a fuel injection vehicle there are companies that | | | | use the coal to create methanol. Currently we have a |
| make devices that will convert your gasoline | | | | coal supply that will last us over 300 years. During this |
| powered car to a flex fuel vehicle. Flex fuel is a | | | | 300 year time frame I am sure we can create the |
| combination of methanol or ethanol with gasoline, | | | | means to produce enough clean burning ethanol and |
| usually up to an 85% methanol/ethanol and 15% | | | | methanol from cellulose to supply the energy we |
| gasoline. | | | | need. With this solution we would then be 100% (or |
| This device regulates the amount of fuel that is | | | | near 100%) independent of foreign oil. |
| injected into the engine to it can ignite creating the | | | | I am sure my plan has some flaws and drawbacks |
| combustion you need to power the vehicle. Although | | | | that I have not thought of including cost factors, but |
| ethanol/methanol requires more to ignite, since you | | | | the safety of our people and the security of our |
| can make ethanol at home for free (or nearly free) | | | | country for future generations is depending on the |
| by growing your own crops, you save in the long run. | | | | decision we make today. |
| Obviously not every American is going to build their | | | | The sooner we get to creating our own renewable |
| own ethanol still, grow their own sugar beets and | | | | clean energy sources for fuel, the sooner we will be |
| create their own fuel. That is what the oil companies | | | | energy independent. |
| are counting on, which is why we need to keep | | | | |