What are we going to do when the oil runs out?

Question

Seriously, at the rate we are using oil we're going to hit peak oil here shortly.

Electricity is mostly powered in the US by oil / coal. Can we simply and affordably convert to renewable? Yes we have nuclear , i understand this - it is extremely efficent and powerful but it also exerts toxic wastes which eventually will be another problem.

Answer 1

1. Alternative fuels. If the vehicle is electric, there are a variety of ways of producing the electricity - wave, solar, wind etc. Recycle nuclear waste - it's still radioactive.

2. Reduce fuel consumption. Create lean-burn engines.

3. Reduce the cost of extracting the fuel from the earth. This will make small scale mining economic. However, the increasing demand for fuel from emerging economies like China will increase the price anyway, increasing profitability.

Answer 2

We will go without cars I guess.

Answer 3

We need to  create new ways to  use energy,news ways to produce it efficiently and use it....We need a  leader to get us  focused on this...We can  produce  products to export  create jobs ,companies...NEED  to forget  oil.   We  need to get  with  going....Other nations  are doing this.WE ARE NOT....Spain Already has a  method of producing electricity  via  solar..They are setting up a  generating  plant in   Arizona...WHY is it  not  US  that is  doing  that  ?   BIG OIL  IS  BIG OIL...they are in  control ...they want to sell us  oil until they have us completely dominated

Answer 4

An extension of this question is, 'what are we going to do when the market shifts and the dollar weakens and the price of oil skyrockets abruptly?'

As you say, nuclear power is an option we can keep in our hip pocket, but because of the waste issue, I see no reason to 'solve' on problem and create another, waste disposal, by revisiting this choice.  But there are a number of options, some better suited to some areas, some more cost-effective than others, some still out of reach with current technology.  

Sustainability is the key in ensuring that available resources can meet the needs of a growing world populatlion.  Society needs to adjust the way it does business, the way resources are extracted and managed.  We've gotten sloppy, greedy, as it were.  We've kind of backed ourselves in a corner and hoped technology can bail us out!

But sustainability can only go so far.

Yes, we can convert, it's been happening, just far too slowly.  But check out some of the sites below.  The research being generated is impressive.  The corporations and institutions and agencies on task here might just be enough to break things wide open, should government, corporations and individuals manage to find the will to change the way we do business.

It's a question we need to be asking ourselves in the mirror more and more, to make sure we have the answers we think we have.  I suspect that the genie is out of the bottle with oil prices in the U.S. The reality of running out of oil is beginning to sink iin.

Answer 5

WE WILL USE SOME OTHER RENEWABLE RESOURCE SUCH AS SOLAR ENERGY

Answer 6

I'm sure the folks 100 years from now will deal with that when and if it actually happens

Answer 7

No Oil for the farmers, I guess we all starve to death

Answer 8

We must b using vehicles run by electricity / Hydrogen / even Water..........such cars have already been invented.........

And if these too don't work,.....we have many scientists who will do at least something new !!

Even bicycles can be used !

Nothing to worry about !

Answer 9

I think we will go to electric  and battery power

electricity can be produced by water and wind

Answer 10

I am going to panic if we ever run out of oil. I really don't think its going to happen any time soon.

Answer 11

bring back that fuel that was made out of corn or corn husks. However it is very doubtful we will ever run out of fuel. Oh yes the name of the fuel was gasohol i do believe.

Answer 12

Solar, solar, solar when are we going to learn?

Answer 13

I guess we are goin to re-invent ourselves. May be, people will start using Bicycles, horse driven carriages, horses...world will be a better place then i guess.

On the other hand, there has been effort going on using hybrid cars, electrically charged cars...and there is alternate energy biofuel

Answer 14

we'll go by walking.