Alternative Energy Sources Essay

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Alternative Energy Sources

In the not-too-distant future -- with regard to history's timeline -- there will come a point when fossil fuels will have been depleted and humans will be forced to find alternative sources with which to power automobiles, household heating units and myriad other machinery that utilizes fuel. However, waiting until supplies are exhausted before establishing a workable alternative would place a major hardship upon future energy demands. For this reason, various options -- not only those that supply a form of fuel but also those that reduce and often eliminate pollution -- have been in the works for several years. It is imperative that these alternatives be implemented long before the current supply is depleted.

Without question, the world's energy demand has increased due directly to the fact that the population continues to rise. What this translates to in correlating statistics is that energy demands throughout the past half century have tripled, the global economy has quintupled and the world population increased twofold (Anonymous em_txt4.html).

Richard Cromwell, general manager of SunLine Transit Agency in Southern California's Coachella Valley, is a firsthand proponent of alternative fueling. Having to smell the awful odor emitted day after day from his fleet of forty-seven buses, Cromwell (Silverstein 10) encourages the changeover. Phil Bostley, Mayor of Indian Wells, a subsection of Coachella Valley, agrees wholeheartedly by saying petroleum-base fuels will go the way of the buggy whips back in the 1930's (Silverstein 10).

Fortunately, for those who run such fleets, a mandate issued by the Energy Department required operators to "begin purchasing alternative fuel vehicles" (Silverstein 10) as of September 1, 1996. In an effort to help offset the exorbitant cost of such an undertaking, the federal government has given tax credits to companies of medium- to heavy-duty fleets that either convert their current vehicles or purchase new ones. As well, smaller, light-duty fleets, such as those used by police departments, will begin switching over to alternative fuels by the year 2001. Such fleets will be required to use natural gas, propane, ethanol, methanol or electricity.

I. ELECTRIC POWER

With the United States alone emitting three-hundred fifty million tons of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide annually into the atmosphere, there is a great need to develop a safer, more environmentally-friendly source by which to fuel the world's vehicles. Powering cars, trucks and other motor vehicles with electricity might just be that perfect alternative for a planet looking to produce "zero vehicle emissions" (Anonymous cl.air.new.alternative.html).

Still, even with the obvious advantages of electric-powered vehicles, there are still significant drawbacks to this particular alternative fuel. For one, the batteries on which the vehicles will run are "large, heavy and short-lived" (Anonymous #2 PG), taking up to eight hours to fully recharge -- which will likely occur at night to avoid the need for more power plants. Moreover, the bulky batteries will have to be replaced after only about twenty-four months, and pose just as much of an environmental "hazard" (Anonymous #2 PG) as fossil fuels with the way they are manufactured and recycled.

No matter the drawbacks, however, car manufacturers are moving forward with their individual versions of electric-powered vehicles. General Motors, Ford Motor Company and Nissan are just three car makers who have already produced or will be introducing such an automobile in the very near future. Nissan's current project is creating a vehicle that will be...

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