Energy and Our Economy

      Energy. Its continuous presence affects all aspects of our lives, from our emotions to our surroundings to our health.  The first law of thermodynamics states, “Energy can be transformed, but cannot be created nor destroyed.” Another way of putting this is that whatever energy put into a system comes out in one form or another. One of the properties of these systems is their energy efficiency, a comparison of the amount of energy produced to the amount of energy put in. In gasoline-powered automobiles, the energy efficiency hovers around 15 percent.  This figure contributes to the problem of oil dependency in the area of transportation. 

      The current economic situation is the worst our country has experienced in nearly eight decades.  A large factor is our dependence upon foreign oil.  The cost of importing oil forces companies to add extra charges to the already high price of oil.  After factoring in the cost of refining it, the result is the rising price of gasoline.  With many Americans using private transportation, much of their income is devoted to paying for gas, contributing to part of the economic downfall.

      A solution to reduce oil dependency can come from several areas. One is the improvement of mass transit systems.  Already existing in some U.S. cities, the expansion of this method would cut back on the usage of cars, helping many people reduce fuel costs.  Another way is using more trains to transport mass goods instead of airplanes and semi-trucks.  Trains, while slower than the other two options, are much more energy efficient.  Finally, the development of an alternate energy source to gasoline is essential.  An updated hybrid system would be ideal.  If proven cost effective, a car’s primary source of energy would exist within a battery pack. This unit could be charged using a stationary docking device. A back-up bio-diesel combustion engine would be in place to recharge the battery if unable to recharge the battery from the docking station