In America, many people are tired of the rising fuel costs and foreign policies, but do not feel as if they have much say or choice about it. However, actually, there is a choice and a solution; the opportunity lies in alternative fuels. A great need lies in coming up with new energy sources to provide the U.S with renewable fuels. Two solutions to the fuel crisis’ in America, are through alternative biofuels such as biodiesel and ethanol.
Why should the United States depend so heavily on foreign oil and petroleum fuels when there is a much easier and available alternative right at the nations finger tips? Indifferent or lazy, most people simply pay the rising prices for this fuel and then grumble unceasingly about the high costs. Depending so much on fuel from other countries is a problem.
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney expands on the America’s fuel crisis in this statement,
For too long, America has been entangled with and dependent on foreign suppliers of oil. Since the 1970s, Americans have endured and been vulnerable to economic shocks caused by our reliance on foreign oil. In recent years, the price of oil has tripled, putting pressure on the American economy. As long as America imports much of our oil from unstable regions and countries around the world, our national security and economic prosperity is threatened. (Romney).
Made from field crops, already produced in the United States, that are easily accessible and available to use, the production and usage of biofuels provides a profitable and brighter path to lowering the States fuel costs and economic crisis of oil and gas within our nation. Biofuels can very easily be competitive with forms of petroleum fuels such as traditional gasoline and diesel, and can play a very important role in reducing the United States addiction to foreign oil, and the key to its success is to start now!
Bio-diesel and Ethanol are two separate types of fuel. To address the confusion between them: Biodiesel is derived from oil-based crops. Such crops often include soybeans, sunflowers, canola, or cottonseed (Calaway 19). Ethanol is derived from a fermentation process to produce a product equivalent to moonshine or liquor. This is then blended with petroleum based gasoline to reduce the need for traditional fuel (Calaway 19). Stated by Merriam-Webster Dictionary, their definitions are: “Biodiesel: a fuel that is similar to diesel fuel and is derived from usually vegetable sources” (“Biodiesel”). “Ethanol: a colorless volatile flammable liquid C2H5OH that is the intoxicating agent in liquors and is also used as a solvent and in fuel” (“Ethanol”).
The demand for biodiesel is on a steady climb. Because the availability of the sources needed to produce it, accessible from large and small farmers and producers alike, producing this renewable fuel is helping not only the middle man but all of mankind. “Biodiesel blends run smoothly in engines across the United States” (Bremer 4-A). According to the National Biodiesel Board, approximately 165 biodiesel plants are in operation in the U.S. producing an average of 11.2 million gallons a year (Johnson 11). Although biodiesel often gets more attention than its relative ethanol, one cannotoverlook the important role ethanol plays in the solution to America’s fuel crisis. “Ethanol is not direct competition to…biodiesel” (Bremer 4-A). Often told that ethanol based fuels have little impact on the nation’s dependency of foreign oil…one most consider the latest boost it is giving the economy. “Ethanol is replacing 200 million barrels of imported oil per year. With the price of oil above $80 per barrel, ethanol’s impact on oil imports alone is more than $16 billion dollars” (Tolman 4-B).
Born and raised in a small, rural community, I am a 6th generation farmer and help farm and ranch on my family’s farm that was established before statehood. My family’s roots are deep in not only years here but agriculture as well. Producing the crops that biofuels are made from is something we as a family farm operation have always participated in, so biofuels is something that we can connect to. The production and use of biofuels in the United States will help farmers like myself and my family’s livelihood and help keep our heritage alive, by raising crop prices and increasing the demand for field crops. We can not only grow the crops needed to produce biodiesel and ethanol but can also turn around and very easily use the biofuels on our farm and ranch, therefore using the very fuel we help make, to run in our vehicles and farm implements. Not only does it create different options of how to sell our products, but it also gives us more potential assets and a different infrastructure of how to sell and invest for our future with new revenue options. There is plenty of fertile farm land in the U.S to produce the fuels and with the raising popularity of biofuels, it will help encourage farmers to stick with farming, knowing that there will be a more secure future market for their crops.
Still, one may ask how will producing and using these biofuels aid America in the current oil and fuel crisis? This question has many available answers, the most important and popular answer revolves around fuel policies and prices. The production and use of these American made alternative fuels, will reduce our reliance on foreign fuels and cut fuel cost at the pump a great deal. Instead of having to pay the foreigners demanded price, and also pay for the shipment to here, we would only have to pay for the growth of the crops they are made from, production costs and shipment within our own country. Which keeps more of our money and assets with in our nation and helps support many people and farmers within our economy. Wouldn’t Americans much rather pay out their monies to our own people who care about us and the future of our country, than to be paying some foreigner who is only in it for the money and doesn’t care about us? The production and use of biofuels in the States could make huge advances in cutting the reliance we have on foreign fuels and make us more dependent and strong, because we would have a more solid footing to grow on and progress with. Renewable fuels such as biodiesel and ethanol offer improved energy security by displacing petroleum and our dependency on fuels outside the country. Biofuels may appear less competitive than the traditional petroleum fuels, but the long term view of the economic boost it presents is tremendous; and the net it will provide for our country, will be very positive.
Initially, in conclusion, it is going to take much more than environmentalists, farmers, and visionary businessmen to make biofuels a successful and productive fuelalternative in the United States of America. It is going to take a vast majority of the American people to be open to a promising, but different change, and be willing to let alternative fuels take a lead in the oil market. The key lies in starting that change now!!! Standing in the way of this new economic and agriculture growth will only hurt Americans in the long run, instead of helping them.
