Bush to Propose Cutting Gasoline Consumption by 20 Percent

frankthetank

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16767118/

WildRose · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Jun 21, 2006 Posts: 1081

Reduce gasoline consumption by 20% by 2017 - So, if the US consumes roughly 10 million barrels/day in the transportation sector, then that would mean trimming 2 million barrels/day in transportation over the next 10 years. Does that mean, then, that Bush & co. are anticipating a 2 million barrel/day shortfall by 2017?

gego · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Mar 03, 2005 Posts: 1334

Nothing really new; he just plans to push the alternative liquid fuels, those with EROEI like 1.1:1 as a substitute for the present 6:1 from crude oil. I would say that only an idiot would consider that a solution, but then seeing that this is Bush's proposal, I understand.

Ethanol, biodiesel, etc., are not conservation, and they have such a low EROEI that there is no way they can come close to substituting for gasoline. This will only bring on the end of the industrial age sooner.

WildRose may have seen the secret message in the 20% drop in 10 years. That is only a 2% annual decline, which if you take into account the 3.5% annual drop in EROEI, a 2010 peak oil date that might work out to 20% less gasoline by 2017, and it will happen without any of Bush's plan, so why do we need him pandering to the farm lobby.

eastbay

I believe we're going to hear about switchgrass again... lol.

Interesting to see the product offerings at the 2007 auto shows revealing almost zero very low fuel consumption personal vehicles giving us a fairly good idea how the auto industry will respond to calls for fuel conservation.
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Cobra_Strike

It really begs the question, is depletion going to happen anyway? It sure could at this rate...
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sylviah · Tar Sands Joined: Oct 06, 2006 Posts: 57

This is the part I don't understand: even my most educated and worldlywise friends keep repeating the mantra of "the marketplace will find a solution to our energy crisis".

Now Bush himself is pushing for alternative fuels and lowered consumption. Does this not set off any alarms for people? If our government in general is starting to move on the issue, why don't people realize that it must already be too late, the market is not going to come to our rescue this time? Since when does our government start solving problems faster than the market?

And if the main remedy to the problem being pushed, ethanol, is being touted by the BUSH ADMINISTRATION, of all people, how can people fail to see that it's doomed to failure?

I'm going to a state of the union adress party tonight. Maybe I'll take a poll and see if this is making anyone else very nervous.

themallard · Coal Joined: Aug 03, 2006 Posts: 19

Fuel efficiency is great, too bad were still gonna use the same number of cars if not more. We need to get people out of cars and onto buses and trains. It's our lifestyles that aren't efficient, Bush won't negotiate that.

mmasters

sylviah · Tar Sands Joined: Oct 06, 2006 Posts: 57

Also, does anybody know, do these proposed reductions only involve crude (as in, oil pumped out of the ground, vs. fuel bought at the pumps)? I would assume so.

I would assume he's not suggesting that we as a nation start buying 20% less fuel at the pumps, whether the gas is cut with ethanol or not. That would make too much sense. That would involve building some sort of public transportation system... Or rather, many sorts of public transportation systems.

Madpaddy · Expert Joined: Jun 25, 2004 Posts: 2124

eastbay wrote,

americandream

perdition79

Bush will probably talk tonight about all these alternative fuels and high-tech automotive technologies as a means of reducing gasoline consumption. We don't need any of that here in the U.S. to make us less fuel intensive. All we need to do is cut the speed limit to 55 mph (something like 90 km/h for you metric people) and remind people to inflate their tires properly.
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eastbay

.... oh, and don't forget that none of the cutbacks will be made by reducing farming, trucking, commercial delivery, emergency services, military, etc...

Which means personal transportation will handle all of the fuel reduction. Therefore personal transportation will require far more than just a 20% reduction in fuel use. More like a 30 or 40% reduction which further means the post-peak world has now officially started.

And industry has yet to take a step in this direction. This will be interesting.
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Gideon · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Aug 29, 2006 Posts: 1140

Montequest is a certified asshole.
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