Fuel Frenzy

So lets try a little fun experiment. Pretend for a moment you are the professor of a college physics class. Lets divide the class up into 7 groups. Each group will be assigned a project to make 1 gallon of "X".

The group assigments we go something like this.

Group 1 - Milk

Group 2- Root Beer

Group 3 - Tea

Group 4 - Coffee

Group 5 - Beer

Group 6 - Methane

Group 7 - Gasoline

I would predict success from groups 1 - 5 with group 5 having the most fun. Group 6 with some work might find a way to make some methane and that Group 7 would be totally lost, without a clue where to even start to produce gasoline even if they found a small source of crude oil.

So if you think the fuel supply businness is easy and profitable think back to our little classroom assignment. Maybe gasoline at even $10 per gallon is a deal.

Quick Introduction
Am I an energy expert? Far from it. Have I studied todays energy use and alternate fuel options? Yes! Do I understand the mechanics of energy use and abuse? Yes!

I spent most of my adult life working in and around nuclear power plants. I am retired now and have the time and interest to study energy use mostly in America but most things seem to apply equally on a global scale.

At the start of my quest I thought I would be able to single out some good energy paths to follow. Quite the reverse has happened as I have learned that just about every new energy break thru or enviromental energy program is just one false hope after another.

For starters here is the breakdown of how America's electrical energy was generated in 2007

Coal 48.6 %
Hydro 6.0 %
Natural Gas 21.5 %
Nuclear 19.4 %
Petroleum 1.6 %
Other 3.0 %

Just so everyone understands - I realize that every number presented here has many variables that can skew the results. Some texts use these numbers to tilt the information in the direction they are trying to present. In the case of energy use just about every process used only reduces the net energy available so in most cases changing the numbers +- 20 or 30% really has little impact on the final results. I try not to tilt the info toward any chosen energy type. What is the best fuel to use for any given situation. I do not know. I wish I did. Is a high mileage diesel, hybrid or electric auto the right choice for you? I do not know. In these pages I am just trying to show the different sources of energy available with enough added information to show the true cost of their use in both the economic and environmental sense. Some of the answers may surprise you. Is that Zero-Emission Car you just paid a $$ premium for really a environmental savoir or is it just another car on the highway using energy and dumping emissions into the environment like everyone else?

For Information Sake - All numbers presented here are about numbers. That is; if the calculated number works out to be 1,137,846 it would most likely be listed here as 1,000,000. After all we are talking about average size homes and cars, typical weather and many approximate sizes. If you care to check in a reliable physics reference you will find the exact numbers which should all be close to the numbers used throughout this book.

For example in one section I might say Propane contains 1030 BTU/cubic foot and some pages later I may use Propane at 1070 BTU/cubic foot. Propane like most things comes in many flavors and you can find Propane with heat content of from 1000 - 1400 BTU/cubic foot. Wood is another example. How much does a cord weigh? Anywhere from 3000 - 6000 pounds and I am sure you can easily find examples outside these numbers. Don't bother. I know it and do not care. Again for purposes of the discussions and calculations used in this book any value somewhere near the mean is fine.

If you have got this far great. You are concerned. Pick any or all of the energy topics from the main menu below and at the top of the page. I have tried to use facts from reliable sources and to keep the reading easy. In many cases I have used essays and info provided by Carl Johnson, Physicist, Physics Degree from Univ of Chicago. I like his style and ideas. He is also a much better writer than me and is much smarter than me. (Thanks Carl for all your work)