We all know that the United States of America is addicted to foreign oil. Gasoline and diesel are the fuels that drive us around both literally and figuratively; without fuel the transportation and distribution that America needs to survive would not exist. Currently the U.S. automakers are working to build over 4 million ethanol enabled Flex fuel cars in the next year alone. This is a very good start to breaking the United States addiction to oil. The ethanol E85, which uses 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline will help ease the burden but it is more of a short-term solution for the next decade or two and not the long-term solution we will be facing in the future. As India and China demands more and more fuel this will bring the world oil price per barrel up drastically. America needs another solution in the future and it so happens there is one available. Hydrogen fuel cells; President Bush has recently discussed such advanced transportation technology in California and gave a speech on the subject. Here is an excerpt of his official statement; "I strongly believe hydrogen is the fuel of the future. That's what we're talking about. Hydrogen is used in a fuel cell that can power a car that uses no gasoline, produces no pollution or greenhouse gas emissions. Hydrogen vehicles can be twice as efficient as gasoline vehicles. Hydrogen can be produced from domestic energy sources, which means it has the potential -- a vast potential -- to dramatically cut our dependence on foreign oil." President George W. Bush (April 22, 2006) You see, there are already hydrogen-powered vehicles being used in California (buses). And companies like UPS are also considering hydrogen powered trucks to drive between terminals as a hedge against high fuel prices, which will help them compete for higher profitability in the already very aggressive and competitive ground transportation shipping business. If over the road trucks and buses use hydrogen cells then there will be less soot and pollution in the air. Eventually and hopefully perhaps work trucks and cars will also run on hydrogen fuel cells. Considered as a 2006. |
