Fuel Statistics -
When Will We Run Out?

That's a good question! The best way to find out is to look at fuel statistics for what we currently use, and the predictions for our future...

The latest fuel statistics show us more about the big picture than any other factors. If you want to know more about how fuels are used (and needed) currently, you need to know who the biggest fuel users are.

To completely understand a situation, all the players in the game need to be recognized and each part they play also needs to be understood to help you see where you stand in the overall picture.

The Big Energy Users

Currently, the highest users of petroleum/fossil fuels are: the United States, the U.S.S.R., and the Middle East. Coming in a close 2nd to them (and quickly moving up the list) are China and Australia.

The latest reports indicate that if petroleum fuel usage continues without increasing (just at today's current rate of usage), we may very well completely run out of petroleum within the next 100 years, or possibly sooner. (**Note: The point at which we start completely running out of fossil fuels all over the planet has been termed "Peak Oil" and is the greatest threat of energy use to our planet.)

Armed with this knowledge, more and more groups, businesses, and governments have been seriously looking at other (alternative) fuels that can be used in place of coal, oil and gas.

What Are Fuels Used for Now?

You may ask "How is fossil fuel being used now, aside from operating our cars, trucks, boats and airplanes?"

As we began looking more closely at fuel statistics, we were astoundingly surprised at what we found!

When we look just at automobiles, we see entire industries (employing thousands of people) that cannot exist without petroleum usage - Retailers, oil filter companies, mechanics, maintenance, parts dealers and distributors...just to name a few.

Most of the products we use, the clothing we wear, the houses and cars, the construction industry (roads, etc.) - all use petroleum. And some of those companies/industries would be almost non-existent or could not function without the use of fossil fuels.

It's somewhat overwhelming to try comprehending this fact.

However, the good news is that we human beings can be extremely creative and resourceful if we are forced to change, and we will and can find alternative solutions to this problem. But we have to be aware of the possibility before it actually happens...and prepare for it.

What's The Hold Up?

The real hump that we have to overcome in converting to another type of fuel or energy (when it comes to those used for transportation) is actually setting up the infrastructure that allows the consumer who owns an alternative fuel vehicle to refuel easily from point to point wherever you drive it.

Several individual and governmental studies are being conducted right now to see HOW this can be done by industry and the private market.

It has been suggested that much like the video rental stores in the U.S. transitioning from VHS to DVD, the current gas/refueling stations should be the access points for other energies - like batteries for electric cars or other fuels.

Tax incentives and discounts offered to the owners of these stations would move these alternative fuel uses into everyday usage faster. The owner/managers would be able to more easily afford the facility setups required for alternative energies in the stations we already use on a daily basis.

Current Fuel Statistics

*The table listed here shows the latest fuel usage and fuel statistics as of November 2007 from the International Energy Agency, showing each country for the year 2004.

Percentages of Use

• Oil - 17% of fossil fuel use is oil
• Natural Gas - 14% of fossil fuel usage is Natural Gas
• Coal - 69% of fossil fuel production of energy is created by coal

Future Predictions

To understand the magnitude of the problem that our future generations will have to deal with, let's look at some predictions for future fuel statistics (according to the latest United Nations and Census Bureau reports):

• In 2004, the world population reached 6 Billion people.


• In 2025, the UN predicts the world population (at current growth rates) will be around 8 Billion people.


• It is then estimated that in that following decade, population will level off (somewhat) to around 10-12 Billion people.

Now, most of the population increase at that time will be in the lesser developed countries. Fuel usage in the more developed countries is currently about twice that of lesser developed countries (even though developed countries only have about 1/3 the population).

Sounds great! But what does all this mean?

Simply put, according to the latest fuel statistics, if the more developed countries can double the efficiency of their energy usage by the year 2025 (which is feasible and technologically possible), then energy use worldwide could be reduced by more than one half.

That essentially doubles the time period before we possibly run out of fossil fuels. Thus, giving us more time to develop alternative fuel sources and move away from using fossil fuels.

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