Alternative Energy Resources and Human Dependence on Oil
Introduction
The modern world is fuelled by oil (Youngquest, 1998). This reality has brought tremendous changes and developments that is continuously transforming the modern period, changing its lifestyles and economies in the last 200 years. However, these changes do not only paved for modernization and development, but it has also paved for the environmental crisis that the world is now facing (Bodley, 2008). Environmental crisis refers to the degradation of the environmental quality due to human intervention in natural processes. In other words, as human beings consume and deplete the resources of the world, our industrial by-products are piling up (Bodley, 2008). As such, it
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In this condition, the researcher holds a cautious position – yes, there is a probability that alternative energy sources can possibly provide means in which human dependence to oil may end.
The Debate
Everybody, in one way or another, is concern with global warming and in finding the solution on how consumption of fossil fuels may be reduced. Alternative sources such as oil sands, heavy oil, and wood/other biomass, coal hydropower, shale oil, solar energy, gas hydrates, wind energy, nuclear fission, wave energy, geothermal tidal power, fusion, ocean thermal energy and conversion are all considered as alternative sources of energy. However, can they end human dependence in oil?
The Pros Those who support that supposition that alternative energy sources can end human dependence to oil claims that
First, as mentioned oil is finite. There is a need to come up with alternative sources of energy because the reality of diminishing fossil fuel supplies is a fact. In order, to avoid the situation wherein energy insecurity is experienced, alternative energy sources should be used.
Second, alternative energy sources are renewable. This means that it has minimal CO2 emissions and other pollutants that can further damage the environment. In this way, alternative energy sources are sustainable and at the same time, help in creating means wherein the environment may be protected while opening the possibility of having cleaner air, water and
In terms of oil dependence, most of the general public believes that the world has enough oil to support us for the next hundred years; in truth we are rapidly depleting our petroleum sources due to the increasing population and demand. In fact, as was initially theorized by the Hubbert Peak Theory in 1950, Earth peaked in oil supplies in 1973 and the largest oil resources that have been discovered since then have been in Venezuela and Saudi Arabia. Here it must be
Robert Lyman, Principal at ENTRANS Policy Research Group, Inc., stated in an article published by Friends of Science stated, “oil provides 95% of the fuel demands in the transportation sector.” He continues with the argument by speaking about how the cost of our current energy sources are so cheap, and we rely on them so heavily, that there is no immediate economic need to shift. A second proponent of not supporting alternative energies is Gary Wolfram, Professor of Economics and Public Policy at Hillsdale College. He stated in an article from May of 2016, “There has certainly been improvements in renewable energy sources over the last decade. However, the idea that there will be no need for coal or oil in 15 years is simply not believable.” Aside from these arguments, there are those who believe that our use of fossil fuels will never cease to halt fully, because new technologies to drill and frack are developing every year, keeping costs of production
Another alternative to oil being used is solar energy. Everyone knows that the sun is the most important source of energy to our
Now we mostly use fossil fuels and natural gas to produce energy. But these sources are running out. To save our planet we should use a new class of renewable energy sources, like wind turbines, solar panels, biofuels and hydrogen. Because our need for power is constantly increasing in the future we will have to produce more energy, which is associated, among other things, with greater emissions of CO2 and further pollution of the environment and global warming. Most likely oil is going to be the first one that’s not going to be sufficient enough to satisfy our needs in the future. To transition to alternative sources of energy would require a rapid expansion of those sources. Now alternative sources of energy playing a small percent of the world’s energy. To transition we would have to triple or quadruple that percentage.
These alternatives can be helpful in reducing carbon emissions while ensuring the energy independence . These sources are wind ,solar ,geothermal, hydro, nuclear and renewable bio fuels. Some of these sources are renewable , meaning they can be replenished, while others like nuclear, are non-renewable, yet are clean sources of energy. For better sustainability , society continues to explore the challenges of these energy options to help implement the necessary changes for an environmentally friendly and energy independent future.
Alternative energies are the future of power. They will be the power that will sustain human life until the end. This is why the United States government should invests more towards the research and use of alternative energies. Alternative energies are any energy that will replace fossil fuels. Some common alternative energies are solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, hydrogen, and biofuels. The U.S. should use those alternative energies over fossil fuels, Petroleum (oil), coal, and natural gas. We currently have ways to store and use these types of energies but the ways we have are not the most effective. That is why the U.S. should fund the research of better ways to harvest and use these alternative energies.
The excessive use of oil in the United States has been a very controversial debate with American experts and scientists. In his article “How America Can Free Itself of Oil-Profitability,” Amory Lovins addresses the many different issues associated with excessive oil consumption and the risks versus the benefits. Amory Lovins is a physicist, environmental scientist, writer, and Chairman/Chief Scientist of the Rocky Mountain Institute. He has written numerous research articles arguing for the use of renewable energy and alternatives for oil. Lovins also regularly gives presentations to other environmentalists discussing the pros and cons of oil consumption. It is clear that his target audience is the demographic of academics, scientists,
As the planet’s population continues to grow, so will the energy needs. Even with fast advancement of technology, humans are only able to extract so much oil in a given period. Relying solely on fossil fuels and pushing off the inevitable does not make sense. If all of the United States oil supply and every other non-renewable energy source had suddenly disappeared from the face of North America, Americans would have no choice but to rely on renewable energy resources and that would not be a problem. As more solar panels, windmills, and hydroelectric turbines were built and placed in their respective environments, the United States would be back on its feet within no time. This would eventually lead to lower energy costs and a much greener and environmentally friendly nation overall. In the long run, investing and focusing on renewable energy resources provides the United States with a fail-safe solution which would also provide citizens with the energy they need to power their everyday
In contrast to the United States becoming 100 percent self sufficient in oil we need to invest in the foundations of technologies that could completely wean us off of oil, and other natural gases. While a self-sufficiency in oil is great because it decreases our dependency on other nations as well as helping to stabilize an otherwise erratic economy, it can only last for so long. Oil, a natural gas, cannot be created
ing that a few decades onwards, there is the possibility of oil becoming a secondary energy source,
In conclusion, using alternative energy technologies like solar power, we can have the luxurious to provide for everything from human needs to protecting the environment than why wait before it is too late. Fossil fuel not only harms the environment but also the current and future generations. Whereas, sources like solar power can save us from burning tons of coal, releasing harmful chemicals like carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and prevent any kind of pollution. To sum up, large oil or energy source companies and communities must expand on the uses of renewable energy
Oil Drilling has many effects on the environment from the air we breathe to the oceans that inhabit many species. While one of the outcomes of oil drilling is money, it is forgotten that money won’t help repair all of the damage that is done to mother nature. Not only does the outcome of drilling for fossil fuels affect the oceans, rainforest, etc. it also has an effect on local business’ and the health of humans. If people want change, they need to be the
The world is depended on oil and soon oil will become more valuable than gold and could lead to a worldwide war. Price for oil could soar to above two hundred fifty dollars per barrel. Oil and other fuel cell also cause green house gases which contribute to global warming. China is consuming two times more petroleum than 1996 and India is projected to consume three times the oil it currently does by 2050. Global house gas emission has increased by twenty percent from 2003 to 2006. Energy consumption has increased exponentially throughout the globe. The U.S. department of energy projects energy consumption will increase seventy percent from 2003 to 2030. The world has agreed to reduce emission by twenty five percent before 2020 and by over
For years man has relied on energy in order to be successful in life. The industrial revolution relied on coal for the new inventions brought into the world. Life as has never been the same since then. However since that time, there has been little done to improve on energy efficiency and humans still primarily rely on fossil fuels for energy. For over a hundred years the Earth has become more polluted and dirtier than ever before. Now, with new, innovative technology there is an opportunity to change that and to rely on renewable, cleaner sources of energy. The main source of energy for the world should be alternative energy instead of energy from fossil fuels.
In the United States, we consume more energy from oil than from any other energy source. In 2014 the total amount of petroleum consumed in the United States was about 19 million barrels per day. As we look into making the world a more eco friendly environment, I ask the question; what are some alternatives of oil and the effects of the alternative.