Foreign oil dependency: It's in the government's hands
Converting a Prius to a plug-in PriusA lot of Toyota Prius drivers, as well as the owners of other hybrid cars, can't wait to be able to plug-in their hybrids. Plugging in significantly increases fuel economy and, therefore, significantly reduces both carbon and foreign oil footprints.
Sadly, however, all hybrid drivers combined make up a minuscule percentage of American drivers. Converting all of these drivers into plug-in hybrid drivers would have very little overall effect on either global warming or foreign oil dependency.
Many more need to be converted into hybrid vehicles and other fuel efficient technologies. FINISH: Foreign oil dependency - It's in the government's hands
Labels: Foreign Oil Dependency, gas prices, Hybrid Vehicles, toyota prius
posted by Dahcredyns at
7:03 AM
3 Comments:
COMPLETE STORY
A lot of Toyota Prius drivers, as well as the owners of other hybrid cars, can't wait to be able to plug-in their hybrids. Plugging in significantly increases fuel economy and, therefore, significantly reduces both carbon and foreign oil footprints.
Sadly, however, all hybrid drivers combined make up a minuscule percentage of American drivers. Converting all of these drivers into plug-in hybrid drivers would have very little overall effect on either global warming or foreign oil dependency.
Many more need to be converted into hybrid vehicles and other fuel efficient technologies.
As gas prices increased, fortunately, polls indicated American interest in hybrids also increased - as long as the costs of hybrids were similar to non-hybrids. But, what happens to this interest if gas prices decline?
"Declining oil prices can give us an artificial and temporary sense that reducing oil consumption and energy consumption is an issue we can put off," said Greg Kats, a managing director of Good Energies, a multibillion-dollar venture capital firm that invests in global clean energy.
Quite simply, most consumers are not idealistic enough to ween America off oil any time soon, especially if gas prices continue their slide. Yet, the longer America waits to end foreign oil dependency, the greater the dangers of foreign oil dependency. It's Russian Roulette.
Thus, isn't it time for the government to develop an energy policy that guarantees the end of foreign oil dependency by a specific date? Considering the government effort it will take to keep US automakers in business, isn't it time for a government/industry partnership?
I believe that instead of handing out 25 billion to the Big 3 carte blanche, the Government should have added stipulations. Parameters like: this money will be used such that the manufacturer's will offer HALF of all their models as a hybrid vehicle, or 25% will have a plug. Then if the government feels the need to throw more money at them in the future, they could mandate the abolishing of all gasoline combustion engines, by such and such date, etc....
I guess I feel that our Government could have been more responsible with this handout...
Any projects under these loans are supposed to be limited to those that increase fuel economy by 25 percent. We'll have to see if that stands with automakers and some in Congress trying to have the requirement reduced.
If it isn't reduced with this loan, there is another $25 billion that automakers are after, and if Obama wins, which is beginning to seem most likely, he's already indicated he'd give them another $25 billion, minimally.
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