Are we all screwed if we can't find alternative fuel sources? (preferred scientists, professors or teachers)

Question

My physics teacher said he is severely disappointed in the progress we made for alternative fuel. our planet runs on energy that pollutes the air. He basically says if there is no action in the next 30 yrs we are all dead.(I forgot the details) He also says that hydrogen power is not the way but solar energy. Now basically i'm just wondering is he correct on the time frame? Do we only have 30 yrs before its too late?

Higher gas prices to slow down consumption does that buy us any time?

Answer 1

Your teacher is a crackpot. There is no shortage of oil. There is a shortage of exploration and drilling at home, developing nuclear power and expanding refining capacity. Also global warming is a scam to scare people into listening to environmental wackos like your teacher. We should be doing all the above mentioned activities and developing alternative fuels for the future, we need to do both. The fanatical environmentalists see only one side and refuse to do things that would make life easier for people now.

Answer 2

its true that fuel (non-renewable, fossil fuel) is going to deplete in a few years. how long is an estimate not the actual figure. but we have progressed a bit. u can find hybrid cars from car manufacturers like ford, honda etc. sooner or later we will have an alternate fuel. and then 30 years is some time to find out one.

hiking fuel prices will not hinder its consumption as standard of living in going up everyday.

Answer 3

If we can shift to cars that get 50 MPG (Many available now in Europe), Build many Nuclear Plants and Clean Coal Plants, Develop Solar and Wind where practical, Drill wherever oil is available, Reduce population growth, there is enough oil to last us 200 years or more. During that period we can continue to develop new forms of energy and power production.

The primary reason we are in the fix we are in is:

"Environmentalists"

Killed our Nuclear Program

Blocked Oil Drilling in all new domestic reserves of oil

Blocked all new refineries

Block any new Hydroelectric Dams

Block use of 60-70 MPG cars like many used in Europe in at least 5 major states (Cal, NY, Mass, VT, Conn.)

Keep telling people Solar and Wind wind save us - is BS. They can help, but not the only answer.

Liberal thinking is killing us! Life threatening decisions must be made by realistic long term analysis, not Feelings.  We have allowed the "Environmentalists" using the ignorant media and politicians to rule our future to long.

Answer 4

If we do not start using alternatives to fossil fuels in the next 30 years, as a society we'll probably be in deep trouble.

However, we can be optimistic that "necessity is the mother of invention" and with the high price of oil we have a great incentive to find and use alternatives.  We are approaching the tipping point where solar and wind power will be cheaper than oil and coal.  Interest in nuclear is also being revised, although we still haven't solved the problem as to what to do with nuclear waste.  

However, optimism is not a reason for complacency.  As a society we need to take positive steps to make a new reality.    So study up, we need new scientists to make these break throughs.

Answer 5

he may not be right BUT I THINK HE IS ON THE RIGHT TRACK !!!

I expect that over the next several decades we are going to see several options come into play concerning power/fuel for our vehicles and even solar power for homes/BIZZs.

gasoline will always be a source, I think, but it will not be IT.

Answer 6

Well, we have many types of alternative fuel sources that should be on line with in the next few years, assuming that the oil bubble doesn’t pop too soon. But your teacher really needs to do some research. Have him look up algae oil. The studies done in the 1970’s showed we could easily meet ALL our fuel needs plus. But the price of oil went down and algae oil couldn’t compete, but now that price of oil is way up, there are many companies looking into algae oil. There are test plants up and running now, so far they have been done with private money, unlike ethanol, but that might be changing soon. The government is taking a fresh look at algae oil, they stopped funding research in 1996, but I heard they have stated funding it again.

Hydrogen is a pipe dream until someone comes up with a clean effect way to produce it, solar has a lot of potential, in fact I’m building a small shop and plan to have it powered by solar power.

I think his time line is way off, the US has the third largest oil reserve in the world, we also have a large reserve of coal, all we need to do is use it. Now as the price of oil goes up and the alternatives become more profitable you’ll see more and more alternative and less and less oil, basically if there is a profit in it the free market will run with it. If you can’t make a profit it’ll die.

Answer 7

Not "all" of us would be screwed.  "Many" of us laugh at high gas prices while riding electric mopeds, or a bicycle, or something else that doesn't use fossil fuels in that kind of quantities.  Hydrogen power is a way, and solar energy is a way.  They are actually coming close to making slolar panels that blend in with your roof's tiles, so people don't have these big ugly black boxes on their roofs.  Unfortunately, solar and hydro fuels are a lot more expensive than their oily counterpart.  

Another thing is nuclear energy.  It does not hurt the enviornment.  The white 'smoke' you see billowing out of the huge chimneys is actually condensed steam billowing out of a cooling tower: it's not radioactive.  The problem, though, is that nuclear waste is currently indisposable.  The legal system is having trouble coming to terms with itself in regards to where they can permanently put it.  Imagine never throwing any of your garbage away for 40 years, and that's what's happening with nuclear energy.  There is currently no place where they can permanently store spent fuel until the legalities are taken care of, and everybody knows that can take a lifetime.

Answer 8

Your teacher is partly right and partly wrong.  No one can say for certain.  But the biggest concern is what I would call the catalyst affect.  You know for example from chemistry that the higher the temperature is the higher the energy is and the more likely that a chemical reaction is likely to take place.  Well when plant matter rots it gives off carbon dioxide.  When carbon dioxide is given off that increases the greenhouse affect.  If the temperature increases that increases the level around the glow of plant matter breaking down into CO2.  And you somewhat start what some think may be a vicious cycle.  The temperature goes up increasing the chemical reaction rate giving off more CO2 thereby increasing the green house effect thereby increasing the temperature more.  That is the biggest concern by most scientists studying the greenhouse effect.

Hydrogen power in some regards is and is not the way.  The real way is using multiple sources of green power: solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, ocean wave power, etc.  Hydrogen could help, but only if it comes from the correct sources such as algae, the electrolysis of water, or collection of by-product from chemical processes already being used for other applications.  Another reason why hydrogen is probably not the way to go is the expense and the fact that there is no distribution network.  But hopefully those two hurdles will be overcome.

One reason why your physics professor is probably right that it may not be the way to go is because the oil companies plan to gather hydrogen from their oil processes in the refining stages.  So it really won't hurt them.  And that is why you see them investing in Hydrogen.  It falls right along their alley.  What would be best is if solar could be combined with hydrogen fuel cells.  You put solar panels or solar devices to gain electrical power from the sun on your house and garage.  Then use that to break down water into oxygen and hydrogen.  That then can be used to power your car or even your house.  

I disagree with your professor that solar is the way.  I think it is one of the ways.  Using solar with batteries makes for a disposal problem in regards with the batteries.  Using hydrogen and solar in combination would be great because you could use the hydrogen basically as your "battery" or fuel for energy storage.  Then you don't have to worry about disposing of acids and heavy metals that could be a significant environmental issue.

What I'd really like to see is the US stop fighting every war under the sun and spending billions on wars, then take that money that is saved and put solar panels on every house and business in the US.  There are even paints now that can be used to collect solar energy due to micro technology.  So even a house's siding could be used to collect solar energy.  Think about how much energy the US could save if every house and business in the US had solar panels on it collecting electrical energy.

Answer 9

I believe that your teacher is probably relatively close to accurate. This is assuming it's not too late already. When the ice caps melt (which is happening at a much faster pace than first predicted) they won't reflect heat off into space any more. Then, it gets really hot outside and the Earth shakes most of us people off like a dog does fleas.

That's my primary motivation for the project I am having reviewed right now by the Virgin Green Fund. I've designed a system that should be able to provide a significant portion of the diesel fuel used for cargo transportation passing through  So. Cal. headed east.

I've discovered a way to "supercharge" the growth cycle of algae (to make biodiesel) using special equipment and some "gizmo-trons" I've developed. I believe it can be done (providing the biodiesel) for the SCLA cargo depot in Victorville, CA using the 800 acres next door. That's my hope, my dream, and my plan. Right this minute, I'm waiting for an answer. I hope it's, "yes".

Answer 10

The Ethanol Scam: Politicians and Big Agriculture would have you believe that encouraging the use of grain-based ethanol in gasoline is the key to energy independence.

But not only do all the ethanol-related tax breaks, subsidies and mandates harm consumers in many ways - driving up the cost of food and other goods, including gasoline itself - but the process of making and transporting it uses more energy than the end product yields!

The Kyoto Treaty can't alter climate -- period. (That's what treaty backers admit. Nevertheless, the global press bends over backwards to cover this up.)

Exposed: the Hollywood hypocrites who drive most of the way in from Malibu in Lincoln Navigators … but arrive on camera at the Academy Awards in hybrid, eco-friendly Priuses

Answer 11

we will also reach Peak oil production in the next few years.

Then the price will go up even farther .

When theres not enough oil to go around you will see more wars and riots.

Answer 12

We'll be fine.  Energy shortages are one thing we're historically pretty good at solving.  A few changes in our habits, like eliminating the daily million-car commute to work and inefficient tractor-trailers for moving freight, will take a great deal of pressure off petroleum supplies.  We have the technology to do both: railroads are great at moving freight, and trolley-supplied electric buses can handle commuters over existing roads with only a small investment in the overhead wiring.  

A less comfortable situation is the worldwide pressure on food and water supplies.  We may have overpopulated this place.

Answer 13

Yes we are pretty screwed, even if we find alternative sources because they usually cost more and corporate America is to greedy to care.