Fuel Statistics
How are fuels currently used? The latest fuel statistics show us more about the big picture than any other factors. We wanted to know more about how fuels are used (and needed) currently, and who the biggest fuel users are. To completely understand a situation, all players in the game need to be recognized - and each part they play also needs to be understood. The Big Energy UsersCurrently, the highest users of petroleum/fossil fuels are: the United States, the U.S.S.R., and the Middle East. China and Australia come in a close 2nd to them (and are quickly moving up the list). 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 (possibly sooner). Armed with this knowledge, more and more individuals, groups, businesses, and governments have been seriously looking at other/alternative fuels that can be used in place of oil and gas. Current Fuel StatisticsYou 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! Fossil/petroleum fuels are used in so many facets of manufacturing - from carpets and plastics, to clothing and toiletries, construction, food production, and everything in between. Most importantly, they are used to produce electricity in power plants and grow and distribute food in more developed countries. Everything we do on a daily basis is tied to, or in some way depends on, the use of fossil fuels. When we look just at automobiles, we see entire industries (employing thousands of people) that cannot exist without petroleum usage - Oil filter companies, mechanics, maintenance, parts dealers, distributors, and retailers...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 seems almost daunting to attempt comprehending this. But, on a more positive note, we human-beings are very creative, and if forced to change, we will (and can) find alternative solutions. The real hump that we have to get over in converting to another type of fuel or energy is setting up infrastructure that allows the consumer who owns an alternative fuel vehicle to refuel easily from point to point. Several individual and governmental studies are being conducted right now to see how this can be done (not by government, but 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. *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.
PredictionsTo understand the magnitude of the problem that our future generations will have to deal with, let's look at some predictions (according to the latest United Nations and Census Bureau statistics):
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 that mean? Simple... 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 fossil fuels.
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