KevinGibson, what is your solution to the energy problem. Imported oil costs us billions. It is over half the trade deficit. Natural gas and diesel vehicle production are immediate and quick solutions, but not for the long term. Either synthetic fuel from coal or algae are the only viable long term solutions.
Electric vehicle have a recharging time problem and a range problem. Also they cost far more than either diesel or natural gas to produce. Infrastructure is in place for both except natural gas requires compressor stations that cost about $100,000 to install, thus fleet use is the quickest conversion. A home compressor would cost about $5,000 for nightly slow charging, but refilling if traveling is a problem unless service stations install the compressor stations. Working in a natural gas utiliy we are trying to get at least one service station to install a compressor, with us providing the compressor, in each of the towns and cities we service. Most service station operators are reluctant to do so. It is an uphill battle.
One of my favorite conservative business hero�s has it right; Fredrick Smith of FedEx. He sees energy independence as a national security issue and so do I; which is why I�m so passionate about getting the US off of foreign oil. For every $10.00 that oil goes up, our GDP takes a .02% hit (
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/aeo/otheranalysis/aeo_2006analysispapers/efhop.html )
Put another way, every time oil goes up by $100.00, $75 billion exits our economy and is diverted to pay higher energy costs. Do you really want to continue along these lines?
You can find most of what I espouse here:
http://www.secureenergy.org/energy-security-leadership-council/frederick-w-smith Fred Smith is a leading conservative business man, and one of the largest consumers of energy on this planet; he might know a thing or two on the subject of energy. In short, the idea to use fossil fuel only for the things that can be run only with fossil fuel, big trucks and jets. For the rest, turn to
For highly urbanized areas, switch to electric. For suburban to rural areas a mix of gas/natural gas/bio & biomass fuel/electric hybrid. There are a number of very promising new technologies out there for alternative fuels; use them.
Switch the Northeast away from heating oil, to electric heating of their homes. Build more renewable electric plants, make use of tidal wave technology as a baseload supplement to Coal and Nuclear. And of course, don�t forget that we will always need coal and nuclear; but do whatever you can to minimize the use of coal and nuclear so as to minimize their undesirable side effects.
The idea is to make use of ALL technologies; rather than hang our hat on one (and we�re being screwed by that one technology now)
You make a point about current electric vehicle technologies; very valid point. But that technology is in its infancy and has a very promising future; invest in that future. If we get serious about investment in a future that sees the US energy self sufficient, the US can give the middle finger to the middle east (show my one American who doesn�t want that), and transform our economy into a robust economy free from foreign threat. We could reduce the size of our military significantly as we no longer have to keep the Middle East stable; they can take care of themselves. We would be energy independent, have a great economy, and safe from outside threats to our economy and way of life.
This is 100% doable, but conservatives need to join in with leading conservatives like Fred Smith and make this happen. Liberals won�t do it.
