The amount of petroleum left in this world concerns each person on this planet. Developing countries are becoming industrialized. Energy needs for running households and industries are increasing. Transportation needs are growing because people are no longer restricted to their towns. Moreover, as the world becomes more integrated, more globalized, the inhabitants of this world are finding that their actions are affecting each other. The environment is suffering from the effects of pollution and global warming caused by petroleum derivates.
Politicians, economists, scientists, and other concerned individuals are discussing how much oil is left. According to some there is no need to be worried that petroleum reserves will diminish because they believe that many reserves are yet to be found. A large part of the scientific community, though, believes that this is not the case. Their arguments along with the visible effects of pollution and global warming have convinced governments and companies to explore alternative means of energy that are renewable (sources that can be replenished).
Most people know about solar, wind, and water-powered energies. The most widely known solar energy is photovoltaic, which is collected by solar panels. There is also solar thermal energy, which uses the heat of the sun. This system is most often used for heating water. Natural gas and fuel cell technology became better known in the last ten years. Natural gas is compressed and burned. Fuel cell technology uses a chemical reaction between hydrogen fuel and oxygen from the air to produce electricity.
There are other existing energy options. For instance, lesser-known energy options include harnessing ocean wave, tidal (water tides), geothermal (heat from earth), and ocean thermal energies. Another means of energy is biogas, which consists of methane, carbon dioxide and nitrogen collected from the decaying processing of landfills and other waste sites. Yet another energy source is biomass, which is wood waste from cutting down trees.
A newer development in the exploration for renewable energy is the search for substitutes for petroleum. The industrialized world, which is the main user of petroleum, is set up to run on this oil. Wouldnt it be wonderful if these lands could use their existing energy processing setup, not deplete petroleum resources and also stop hurting the environment? Well, this is possible now with ethanol and biodiesels. Ethanol is an alcohol derived from plants. It is already being used as an alternative fuel for vehicles in Sweden, Brazil, Australia, Canada and Mexico. Biodiesel is fuel made from vegetable oils (used or fresh), animal fat, or algae to which an alcohol and a catalyst are added.
Still, in some countries people are just putting vegetable oil into their cars. This works by either adding kerosene to it or making slight changes to the Diesel engine, which was in fact originally designed to work on vegetable oil. In Thailand, the price for diesel fuel went up and the price for coconuts went down. As a result, farmers and others strapped for cash decided to use coconut oil which was already common to their cuisine. It turns out that coconut oil is more efficient and less polluting than petroleum. While most of the alternative means are non-polluting, some have been found to be carcinogenic. As the testing of possible oil substitutes goes on, we must prepare ourselves for a new global oil situation.
Due to necessity, a frontier full of new energy possibilities has been opened. Now every country will be able to use sources of fuel that grow naturally on their own land or in their waters. The challenge to OPECs monopoly position could lead to interesting consequences for planet earth.
Politicians, economists, scientists, and other concerned individuals are discussing how much oil is left. According to some there is no need to be worried that petroleum reserves will diminish because they believe that many reserves are yet to be found. A large part of the scientific community, though, believes that this is not the case. Their arguments along with the visible effects of pollution and global warming have convinced governments and companies to explore alternative means of energy that are renewable (sources that can be replenished).
Most people know about solar, wind, and water-powered energies. The most widely known solar energy is photovoltaic, which is collected by solar panels. There is also solar thermal energy, which uses the heat of the sun. This system is most often used for heating water. Natural gas and fuel cell technology became better known in the last ten years. Natural gas is compressed and burned. Fuel cell technology uses a chemical reaction between hydrogen fuel and oxygen from the air to produce electricity.
There are other existing energy options. For instance, lesser-known energy options include harnessing ocean wave, tidal (water tides), geothermal (heat from earth), and ocean thermal energies. Another means of energy is biogas, which consists of methane, carbon dioxide and nitrogen collected from the decaying processing of landfills and other waste sites. Yet another energy source is biomass, which is wood waste from cutting down trees.
A newer development in the exploration for renewable energy is the search for substitutes for petroleum. The industrialized world, which is the main user of petroleum, is set up to run on this oil. Wouldnt it be wonderful if these lands could use their existing energy processing setup, not deplete petroleum resources and also stop hurting the environment? Well, this is possible now with ethanol and biodiesels. Ethanol is an alcohol derived from plants. It is already being used as an alternative fuel for vehicles in Sweden, Brazil, Australia, Canada and Mexico. Biodiesel is fuel made from vegetable oils (used or fresh), animal fat, or algae to which an alcohol and a catalyst are added.
Still, in some countries people are just putting vegetable oil into their cars. This works by either adding kerosene to it or making slight changes to the Diesel engine, which was in fact originally designed to work on vegetable oil. In Thailand, the price for diesel fuel went up and the price for coconuts went down. As a result, farmers and others strapped for cash decided to use coconut oil which was already common to their cuisine. It turns out that coconut oil is more efficient and less polluting than petroleum. While most of the alternative means are non-polluting, some have been found to be carcinogenic. As the testing of possible oil substitutes goes on, we must prepare ourselves for a new global oil situation.
Due to necessity, a frontier full of new energy possibilities has been opened. Now every country will be able to use sources of fuel that grow naturally on their own land or in their waters. The challenge to OPECs monopoly position could lead to interesting consequences for planet earth.
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