Renewable Energy Strategies Part 2 of 3

Defining the Contributing Factors of a Problem

     When addressing the contributing factors that lead to the need for energy conservation and recommendation of renewable energy as a viable solution. It is required that we evaluate current methods used to produce energy along with the environmental impact being made by these methods.

     According to official energy statistics by the U.S. government, in 2007 petroleum and natural gas accounted for 63% of the nation's energy supply. This was followed by coal providing 22%, and renewable energy sources accounting for only 7% of the energy supply. (EIA, 2008a)

     Since petroleum is the largest source of energy we will look at the environmental impacts that are experienced in finding, processing and using petroleum.

     Petroleum products are used to fuel our transportation, heat our homes and make products like medicines and plastics. (EIA,  2009)

     Finding, producing, and using petroleum products have always caused problems for the environment in the form of water and air pollution. As time has passed new technologies and laws have contributed to the reduction of these problems. (EIA, 2009)

     Today's drilling footprints are only about one-fourth the size of those needed 30 years ago causing less disruption to land and ocean habitats. This is due to the use of technologies such as horizontal and directional drilling, combined with the use of satellites, global positioning devices, and remote sensing devices. Making it possible to discover oil reserves whitout the need for excessive well drilling. (EIA,  2009)

     Even while viewing all the positive steps that have been taking place in the petroleum field, we are still faced with two principal problems. The first and most obvious is that the source of petroleum is non-renewable making it unsustainable. However, the time table that should be followed in replacing crude oil based energy sources is another point of contention between scientists and businessmen.

     A 2007 article makes the observation (Witze, 2007):

The poster for the meeting for the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas in Boston this October featured American revolutionary Paul Rever on his midnight ride, bringing news of imminent calamity. Only this time it is not the British who are coming, but the end of the oil era, and with it much of western civilization

     While this idea is supported by many respected geologists and influential businessmen. It is equaly refuted by many of their peers. A study from energy analysts Cambridge Energy Research Associates(CERA) in Massachusetts reports seeing no peak in production before 2030. Then with a crest followed by an undulating plateau instead of a steep fall, making this a much less apocolyptic issue even if it were to happen today. (Witze, 2007)

     I would suggest that while there remains a debate as to the length of time the crude oil reserves will last. It is better that we focus on the subject of emissions caused by the use of petroleum. The total U.S. carbon dioxide emissions in 2007 increased by 75.9 million metric tons, an increase of 1.3%,  raising the total close to the 2005 level. (EIA, 2008b)

     A total of 2,579.9 million metric tons of carbon dioxide was released into the atmosphere in 2007 due to the use of Petroleum. This represents a continued average emissions growth of  approximately one percent per year from 1990 to 2007. (EIA, 2008b)

     Though the arguments of man's contributing factor to global warming, and the amount of usable crude oil that is available may rage on. This does not nullify the fact that the amounts of Carbon Dioxide, Sulfar Oxides, and other substances being released into the atmosphere through the use of non-renewable energy sources has been seen by environmental health scientists as a main contributing factor in infant mortality, lower birth rates, deficits in lung function, and cancer. (F. Perera, 2008)

     These factors all lead to the conclusion that weening away from current energy production solutions towards a strategy of providing cleaner and more sustainable methods of energy production are in mankinds best interest.