I wonder if the "Big Oil" co.'s" are purposely dragging there feet on finding a real alternative to oil ?

Answer 1

I doubt it. Sure, they sell oil products. But if they could make a profit from other fuel sources, they would be all over it like a cheap suit. My guess is that companies like Exxon aren't exactly thrilled about having to deal with rogue oil states, but those states are who controls most of the world's oil supply. If they could get out from under the heel of the oil tyrants and make a profit, they would surely do it.

If GM, Toyota and other auto manufacturers could build an automobile that people could afford and for which the fuel was both cheap and abundant, they would produce that product. And if they produced it, someone (Exxon or a new business) would find a way to sell the fuel for it.

Since there are 300 million gasoline-eating cars on the road in the US, oil companies market the only product -- petroleum based -- that those car owners can actually use. Should they be producing some exotic fuel that people can't even use?

There is an amazing amount of investment money floating about on this planet and if there was a cheap and dependable alternative source of fuel that worked in the existing auto fleet, someone would be busy developing it.

There is a bit of a chicken and egg problem to all this as well. An alternative fuel that is really different from petroleum has to be portable (it has to be shipped and stored to get it to your car), it has to be full of high energy content (petroleum is full of energy, that is why jet fuel can transport a jumbo jet and why we are not likely to see a solar-powered jumbo jet anytime soon), and it has to be affordable. So far, nohting is at that point.

There is some talk about electric cars. That sounds good at least in theory. We have power plants to produce electricity (many burn oil of course), we have an electric distribution system to ship the electricity to your home to put in the car. We just lack the car at a price people can afford.

Answer 2

They're playing every angle at once.

They have a huge agenda to discredit global warming.

They spend millions to lobby against anything that might limit the use of their products. (ethanol they're OK with, because they know it's a boondoggle.)

OPEC deliberately sets the price of oil to be SLIGHTLY cheaper than any alternative we could come up with. In the 90s electric cars were starting to gain steam, down comes the price of oil to where electrics seem stupid. Now that electric cars are "gone", it's over $3/gal. How'd that happen? :)

They buy up alternative energy and supportive technologies like Ovonic so they can play both sides: Make top dollar off the technology and also use patent law to keep other companies out.

Answer 3

Of course they are. What would you do if you were the only person selling a product that everyone needs - wouldn't you try anything and everything to avoid losing your business? There are alternatives to oil - renewable energy sources such as sun, wind and waves (to some extent), and the new nuclear energy sources are much safer than in the past.
Europe has for years reduced its dependance on fossil fuels by adding windfarms and sun-energy plants whereever practical, and by taking consumer-oriented steps to reduce pollution.

Car can run on a multitude of other products, but as long as the automakers and Big Oil live in one another's pocket, we won't see much in the way of alternative fuels for cars. And as long as you have the Bushies from Texas and Cheney in the White House, Big Oil is safe.

Answer 4

HELLO! The oil companies are in the business of finding, selling and producing products from OIL! They are not in the solar, wind, tidal, geothermal or ethanol business. Do away with their business and look where we'll be!

There are other companies, those looking for subsidies (ethanol being the big one presently) to cover the lack of profitability in these energy sources. And who pays the subsidies? Good guess, US!

Answer 5

Of course they are They just create PR campaigns that make it look like they care. As long as there is a demand for oil they will continue to keep pumping oil and the money in there bank accounts.

Answer 6

"Big Oil" will be the first in line to supply any economically viable alternative to oil. If you think otherwise, you have a very poor understanding of how business works.

Answer 7

They're not going to promote a cheaper alternative to oil until oil resources are depleted. They are making ludicrous amounts of money and they want to keep on profiting for as long as they can. Wouldn't you?

Answer 8

Just think. what will replace the vast amount of energy we use as a world, just in America we use millions of barrels a day, can we grow enough corn with out starving, hate to say it but energy will be our demise.

EDIT
Don't forget gasoline tax, we use just as much as 5 years ago, and prices approaching $3.00 a gall the government is making 3 times the money, paying for Iraq maybe.

Answer 9

Well that is what all the environmentalists say.They even say they are working hard to interfere with efforts to do so. But I don't believe that. Sure, they are not working hard to find something to replace their main product, but what company would? But I don't believe the crazy conspiracy theories that they have bought up rights to existing inventions that can make 200 MPG cars just to hide the technology from the world.That is just so much crazy conspiracy theory nonsense.

Answer 10

They have already found another option....ethanol made from corn alcohol, I believe. I may be wrong, but I believe they can not control the interest in it because the farming industry already does. Until the BIG fat cats can monopolize that market too, they suppress it to control there own profits, how is this at-all legal? So much butt kissing goes on within our government.