Tuesday, 20 July 2010 03:11
The horrendously expensive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is our wake up call. It will likely change how we obtain oil, where it comes from and what it costs. We know that at some future time it will cost more than it does to get it out of the ground. At that point we must be well on our way to replacing it as the cheap alternative. Oil will not totally go away, as there are many applications that really can't easily replace it, such as flying. We can make airplanes much more efficient, however. There are many promising ways to make fuel like gasoline and many alternatives to the internal combustion engine.
There is an extremely enlightening program on the Science Chanel called Powering the Future. It addresses the many ways we can get energy from nature. This program should be seen by every one who cares about the future. It is very well illustrated and presented. You'll never guess who is sponsoring this must see program. Give up? It is the Shell Oil Company. Check it out.