Where is our alternative fuels?

Question

We have the technology, knowledge, and expertise to do away with petroleum. Why are we not using it?

Answer 1

Because there hasn't yet been a way to do it in a cost effective manner yet.

Answer 2

Die hard enthusiasts of alternative fuels are already using cooking oil coverted diesel engines. I know that sounds funny but its a truly effective second choice that many people have already put into practice for years now. Its something you should consider looking into as gas prices perpetually increase.

Answer 3

Holy Biofuels Batman!   I literally feel I just answered this question.

Here is the problem:

Gas is only $3/gallon

When it hits $5 or $6/gallon, it will make alternatives more competitive at their current cost.

Don't worry, it will happen in the next 2-3 years as oil is running out and demand for energy is increasing. And everyone is working to bring down the cost of alternatives. So hopefully that price intersection will happen sooner rather than later.

Natural laws of supply/demand and cost/profit are at work here, all the incentives in the world do very little to change them.

Oil did great for years because:

1- Incredible energy density - 100 times greater than batteries

(6 pounds of gas takes you 25 miles, 1800 pounds of lead-acid batteries takes you about 75 miles on a charge)

2 - Cheap! For almost all of the 20th century, oil has been cheaper than water.

(Go buy a bottle of water, go buy a gallon of gas. Which cost you more per ounce?)

3 - Abundance! There was so much of it, people felt comfortable building a nationwide infrastructure to support it, and all car companies designed cars that ran on it.

(For this to happen to ethanol, hydrogen, batteries etc. companies have to be convinced that the energy source is going to be abundant enough for everyone to use)

I hope that makes sense. Incentives are good to get a technology off the ground, but for it to succeed, it has to be cost competitive on it's own.

Answer 4

We are!! We have been using wind power along with electricity. We are using ethanol. They are trying to find a way to recylce oil from restaurants that is economical and won't hurt the environment. There are several million dollar research projects going on that are being funded by the oil companies. Since you have the experise, maybe you would like to offer your services.