2007-01-30 21:16:19 · 6 answers · asked by ALAGARSAMY S 1 in Environment
fossil fuel hydrocarbons are finite in human terms. renewable sources of hydrocarbons are from plants, but the amount that can be produced is related to the amount of solar energy - so the fossil fuels are like a deposit account built up over millenia, and the bio-mass is the current account. At current demand bio-fuels could only support a fraction of our lifestyle, and there would be a choice between food, plastics or fuel.
the only real altenative "fuel" is reduced demand - to levels sustainable on a finite planet - however this is not an acceptable answer when all our aspirations and politics and industry depend on an infinite growth global economic model.
we have the knowledge, technology & economic solutions to provide a better sustainable culture and lifestyle than the current doomed one; but we'll know in 20 years if we have managed to make the great turning necessary for the future of humans & life as we know it on this planet.
2007-01-30 23:33:02 · answer #1 · answered by fred 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only those who benefit from the hydrocarbon business(oil exporting countries, automobile manufacturers and governments which benefit from their taxes) are worrying about the prospects of its depletion. All other well-meaning people will in fact be looking forward to the day Planet Earth will be rid of these pollutants called fossil fuel. Needless to say, many alternatives exist, but those who can invest in these alternatives are the very ones who benefit currently from the exploitation of fossil fuels. Biomass from various waste as well as agricultural products, renewable forms like wind, solar and hydro, as well as nuclear and hydrogen cell fuels are some of the well known alternatives.
2007-01-30 21:53:38 · answer #2 · answered by Paleologus 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depleting hydrocarbons aint a global probm coz there'r lots of alternatives to it ,that work even better for our degrading world like THE hydrogen fuel_go to iceland and you'll not fail to advocate for green peace vs hydrocarbons next time.
2007-01-30 21:35:39 · answer #3 · answered by ajongskeys 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One alternative fuel is biodiesel. People have been researching it since George Washington Carver started working with soybeans and their various uses at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, in 1904!!!
2007-01-30 21:25:04 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Alternate fuel comes from biomass, organic wastes.
It is not not only research, it is a business.
See link for the biggest company, over 10 000 employees
2007-01-30 21:25:12 · answer #5 · answered by carmenl_87 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
most promising is hydrogen that can be produced from biomass(plant that will grow for that reason).imagine that your car will be filled with alkohol or vinegar.shell and other oil companies focus their research on hydrogen so they dont get out of the energy market.what they do now is to stall the end of the era of oil.have you seen the price of oil?energy companies and countries that produce oil know the end is near so they try to get all they can.other alternative power source is solar energy,wind,energy from the waves(still small scale though).in 15-20 years every house could be easily be self-sufficient ith low cost.if you'd like read The Economy Of Hydrogen of Rifkin.
2007-01-30 23:30:06 · answer #6 · answered by james01gr 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋