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A Closer Look at Transportation

Transportation is a vital cog in the United States’ economic engine, and also one of the country’s largest oil drains. Two thirds of U.S. oil consumption goes toward transportation, making alternative fuels a vital element of the renewable energy debate.

Alternative transportation fuels include a whole range of options—from biofuels, which are made from crops or waste materials, to electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles. Of the biofuels, clean-burning ethanol is among the most popular. Worldwatch encourages developing a flexible fuel fleet, or automobiles that could handle both ethanol and regular gas and thus give drivers more options. Thirty-six U.S. states already sell E85 fuel—which is 85 percent ethanol—according to the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition.

Whether the United States can produce enough ethanol in sustainable ways is still a question. In 2005, the United States produced 16.2 billion liters of ethanol, which provided only 2 to 3 percent of the country’s non-diesel fuel. Almost all of this ethanol came from corn, which many say is not the most efficient way to produce the fuel. According to the Earth Policy Institute, ethanol yields per acre for French sugar beets and Brazilian sugarcane are roughly double those for U.S. corn. The Institute claims that organic materials and agricultural residues in the United States could, however, yield 14.5 billion gallons of ethanol—or four times the current output—with no additional land demands.

Other contenders in the alternative fuels race include methanol from coal, biodiesel for diesel engines, compressed national gas, hydrogen cells, and electricity from other renewable sources. Production and technology issues will have to be addressed if any of these options are to become competitive though, and the environmental impacts of each must be considered. According to an article in the Christian Science Monitor, for example, transforming coal into methanol still results in significant greenhouse emissions.

Along with developing alternative fuels, many also point to the need for more fuel-efficient vehicles. The European Union has long had stricter emissions standards than the United States, and China adopted similar requirements in 2004, according to a Worldwatch report.

The automotive industry, too, has a role to play in increasing fuel efficiency and consumer options. An article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says automakers believe customers will embrace new technologies that lighten their financial burdens at the pump. According to the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, 9 million alternative fuel vehicles are already on the road, which include hybrids, clean diesel, and flex-fuel vehicles.

In view of automakers’ apparent rush to build and promote ever more gas-guzzling Sport Utility Vehicles, however, some are skeptical of their willingness to put environmental and security concerns before their own bottom lines. Nonetheless, the alliance claims it is committed to getting more alternative fuel vehicles on the road.

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