What can replace oil as the fuel of modern civilization?

Question

What can replace oil as the fuel of modern civilization?

Answer 1

I would hope that it solar energy because there is a lot of sunlight and we are not harnessing it that much.

Answer 2

As a modern day civilization the only clean and abounding thing we have is hydrogen . I'm sure we will exploit hydrogen as soon as we rid ourselves from the oil mongers. Our Technology in hydrogen is far more then what we are led to believe

Answer 3

Oil is very hard to replace.  it is extreemly useful and very easy to use.  But it causes global warming and causes foreign oil dependance.  Some people think ethanol is the answer, but it can sometime take more energy to make it than it produces when burning!  And it is made out of corn, and that raises food prices because farmers get payed more for ethanol corn than food corn.  Food then has to increase price to remain competitive.  If made of wood, I supose it is OK.  But it has a very low energy density--much lower than oil.  Hydrogen is another option, except coal is usually burned to make it and it can explode much more than gasoline in an accident.  But both technologies can be implemented if more reaserch is done to make them better and more competitive.

Answer 4

As I like to ask, replace it for what purpose?

Oil is still used to generate electricity in some parts of the world (this mostly stopped in the USA after the 70's price shocks).  This oil can be replaced by anything from coal to solar PV to geothermal.

The heavy fractions of oil (asphalt) are used for pavement.  This can be substituted by concrete, though concrete doesn't have the same friction properties.

Oil is used as a chemical feedstock.  How easy it is to substitute for it depends on the exact fraction being used; it is very easy to synthesize chemicals like ethylene from other materials, but I can imagine some complex compounds that might be much harder to make than to extract.

The big thing on everybody's mind, though, is ground and air transport.  The demands of air transport require a fuel with energy content like kerosene; hydrogen is very bulky and would require a wholesale redesign of aircraft to hold it.  Even alcohols aren't very good.  We can make synthetic kerosene but we can't do it cheaply.

Ground transport is what affects most people every day.  Trains can be electrified easily, and if short-distance car trips run on batteries roughly 80% of gasoline demand can be replaced with electricity.  Delivery trucks can also go electric, like the Smith Newton.  That leaves long-distance car and truck travel.  If most truck freight moves to rail, the remaining demand can probably be met with biofuels.

Answer 5

Water is the only thing in more abundance

Answer 6

Vegetable oil. Some cars are already using it!