June 16, 2005
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ENERGY CONSERVATION
It now seems apparent that the present high price for fossil fuel will continue to rise as the shortages predicted by groups such as the Club of Rome ( The Limits To Growth; Universe '72 ) in the last century begin to develop. We have not done adequate planning for this eventuality and are now playing catch-up. Our largest trade imbalance is in oil imports. A friend of mine in the fossil fuel industry claims that much of our gas is now imported from Europe where they have a surplus due to the growing prevalence of more efficient diesel cars and trucks. This is obviously inefficient (you have to waste fuel getting the fuel here from there) and so far there seems to be little interest in some of the obvious alternatives such as atomic power plants and hydrogen fuel cell technology.
I am seriously considering a diesel-electric hybrid as my next vehicle.
