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When President George W. Bush announced that “America is dependent on oil” in his 2006 State of the Union address, he sparked a new nationwide discussion on one of the country’s most critical issues. Although Americans make up only 5 percent of the world’s population, they consume 25 percent of world oil production, mostly in the form of automotive fuel. This consumption shows no decline; Americans use even more oil each year than the year before.
While Americans are leaders in global energy use, the rest of the world is showing signs of catching up. The growth of China and India’s populations and economies has put them on a course to compete with the US energy use in the future. A global oil consumption rate of about 84 million barrels a day and rising, will not last forever. While experts discuss how much oil is left, they all agree it will eventually run out.
Getting rid of the fossil fuel habit
As Americans become aware of the need to find an alternative to oil to provide energy for all activities of daily living, there are concerns that this awareness may be too late. Even with the new call for action, many industry experts believe there may not be time to develop the technology quickly enough to support alternative energy sources before fossil fuels start drying up.
Despite fears that alternatives have slowly caught on, many new energy technologies are gaining momentum, slowly destroying the energy dominance of fossil fuels. These renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar and geothermal energy, are growing at a rate of 20 to 60 percent each year. If this growth continues, optimistic estimates show that by 2040 renewable energy could account for half of the world’s energy consumption.
Extending the use of renewable energy is also considered critical to the plant’s long-term health. Fossil fuels are responsible for many environmental problems, from acid rain to global warming. Many environmentalists believe that ending the habit of fossil fuels before the destruction of the planet becomes irreversible should be a global priority.
The quest to develop affordable, effective alternatives to fossil fuels may be one of the most difficult technological challenges in human history. Fortunately, scientists around the world will rise to the challenge as they work to discover new breakthroughs in alternative energy sources. Their efforts are supported by people around the world who contribute to saving energy and reducing their own consumption of non-renewable fossil fuels.
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Source by Robert James Duvall