Since the dawn of man, civilizations have found new ways to get nature to work for them. As early as 1515, inventor Leonardo Da Vinci used a series of mirrors and the sun to heat liquids such as water ("Alternative Energy Sources Timeline"). Several automobiles were designed to run on bio fuels. For instance, Henry Ford built his quadricycle, his first automobile, in 1896 and was to run on wholesome ethanol ("Alternative Energy Sources Timeline"). Coal and hydropower were, for many years, the leading sources of energy ("Alternative Energy Sources Timeline"). However in 1984, nuclear energy took the place of hydropower (("Alternative Energy Sources Timeline"). Hydropower is energy captured by utilizing the power of falling water to spin a turbine which then generates power like a wind turbine; dams are the largest producers of hydropower. Alternatives exist, they just need to be used and promoted more. In 1995, global geothermal capability reached 6000megawatts; which is enough to power 9000 homes for one year ("Alternative Energy Sources Timeline"). The technology exists to be entirely energy independent, but the effort must have the support of all.
Advances in technology, and ‘reliable' oil have put fossil fuel baring countries in control. Many decades ago, oil was cheap and easy to find; it also worked well with machinery. Petroleum seemed perfect, and new technologies were designed with a petroleum-based fuel in mind. Over time the United States has acquired a thrust for this carbon fuel, to an extent that is nearly impossible to switch course. Although the U.S. imports a large amount of oil from the Middle East and Saudi Arabia, Canada actually has the largest oil reserves in the world. The U.S. consumes a massive amount of carbon-based products, the United States imports, roughly, 13.5 million barrels of oil a day; which is in the region of 858 Olympic size swimming pools worth (Miller 1). Coal is the largest source of energy in the United States today, it is estimated that in 2005 1.125 billion tons were consumed; which is more or less about 4.3 million pounds every minute (Miller 1). Natural gas is also a widely used resource, and this nation uses nearly 1.25 billion cubic feet of it a day, roughly 140,000 Olympic size swimming pools worth (Miller 1). This dependency is a substantial weakness or Alkalis heel for this nation.
Many solutions exist today, but quite a few also in experimental stages; with such a plethora of sources, energy independence should be fathomable. For centuries, civilizations have used wind, solar, and water to power devices. Hydroelectric plants are great producers of electricy. Hoover Dam, completed in 1936, which holds back Lake Mead the largest man-made lake in the U.S., generates enough electricy to power 5.4 million homes for a year ("Alternative Energy Sources Timeline"). Solar technology has been around for years, but is becoming increasingly more efficient. Wind turbines have been used sense the year 500 to pump water and grind grain ("Alternative Energy Sources Timeline"). Wind turbines are currently one of the cheapest forms of energy in use today (Miller 3). Technologies such as wind, solar, nuclear, and hydro currently aid in providing the energy the U.S. consumes. However, if used in greater numbers coal would become inconsequential.
With new coming technology, such as bio-fuels and wave generators, there will soon be a plethora of alternatives to create energy. A large aficionado of petroleum fuel is the airline industry, and prices of fuel have caused many companies to slip under the waves. However several companies are developing new types of fuel; Air New Zealand recently tested a 50/50 mixture of jet fuel and jatropha plant oil (Wassener 1). The Jatropha plant is a hearty plant with a high acre yield, about 40 percent of each seed's mass is oil (Wassener 1). Other airlines such as Continental and Japan are also conducting tests; Continental will use Jatropha and algae, while Japan will attempt a fuel consisting of oil from the camelina seed (Wassener 2). Instead of creating something entirely new, some scientists have established a way to get ethanol, an alternative fuel used today, from new but ever-growing source. Household trash and farm byproducts can be fermented into ethanol (Wood 1). Household waste is comprised of almost 40 percent paper products; and scrap from farms such as lettuce leaves, rice straw, and almond hulls can be easily converted to ethanol (Wood 2). The process pressure cooks the paper-like products until the consistency is similar to a thick lumpy paste, enzymes and yeast are then added to begin a chemical reaction. This reaction produces ethanol as a byproduct (Wood 2). This solution is a great contributor to transportation demands and it reduces the mass of refuse deposits.
While wind turbines and solar panels are an excellent way to establish energy independent, they are not the only solutions. Within the past several years tests and prototypes have been conducted on wave turbines. Wave turbines, just as wind turbines do wind, use the movement of water to generate electricity. "Ocean power has more potential than wind power because water is about 850 times denser than air, and therefore packs far more energy" (Galbraith 2). However, recent tests uncover many issues and concerns with the idea, for example, sea water is very corrosive, tides and surges can damage the turbines, and the cables to anchor the devices and transport the electricity are expensive (Galbraith 2). Several companies hope to begin production between 2010 and 2012; some believe that this concept could supply almost 10 percent of the United States with power (Galbraith 2). These wave turbines would most likely be placed in fast water moving regains, like the San Francisco Bay, and other areas along the coast. The future will depend on what happens now, hopefully wind turbines will dot the west, solar panels will shine from the south west, and wave generators will bob in the oceans; and various bio-fuels will replace crude oil.
If the entire nation backs the effort for the United States to become energy independent, this goal just might be possible. Arizona has a vast network of canals and a substantial amount of water is probably lost to evaporation; however if the state covered the canals with solar panels than water would be saved and energy would be created. Oil is finite, and every time the supply to the United States has been threatened priced have soon soared. This weakness is in now way beneficial to the economic stability or the national security of the United States. The widespread use of carbon-based fuels also alters the natural environment, causing repercussions with unknown effects. Initially it will be costly, but going to the moon, bailing out Wall Street, and the ten wars the U.S. was engaged in were not cheap either.
The United States is economically dependent upon oil baring nations, and fuels are becoming scarce. The U.S. has become economically reliant on fossil fuels, causing this nation to be at the will of the oil and coal baring nations. It is the time to begin the nation-wide leap to establish clean energy independence and guarantee economic and national safekeeping. The United States government and her citizens must take action today to secure tomorrow. These solutions, bio-fuels, wind, wave, solar, geothermal, and hydroelectric, are some of the many available sources of clean reliable energy that will not only boost the economy by creating an abundance of jobs, but assist in increased energy independency and therefore greater national security. America, and mankind for that matter, has preferred to stick to the status quoi, and humans by nature are afraid of change. However, given time, and a growing rationale of the need for certain changes, it is possible. "If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people" (Confucius).
Patrick H. Desrochers
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