If we, as a global population, continue to use our environmental resources as heavily as we do now, we will see some major changes in the next twenty years. For example, soon, we won’t have much gas to put in our cars. The supply of it will go down. The supply isn’t set to peak until about the mid-2020’s, but that won’t stop the amount of oil the world uses. Oil is used as fuel for cars, ships, trucks, planes, and many more various things. Since oil is a non-renewable resource, once we use it all up, it will be gone forever.
However, some new ways to get electricity are growing more and more. Solar power is a renewable resource, so we will never run out of it, and the cost of it has declined 65% since 2013, making it a more affordable and environmentally beneficial source of electricity. Now, solar power doesn’t provide much electricity around the world, it only covers about 15% of it. But, by 2040, it has been predicted that solar power will provide about 40% of all the electricity in the world.
What do you think will happen once the oil supply is gone? Will there be alternate ways to fuel vehicles that use oil as fuel? Can we find ways to reduce the amount of oil we use on a daily basis? Do you think solar power will be used by everyone in the world one day?
When the oil supply is gone, we will have to find alternative fuel sources. There will be alternate ways to fuel vehicles if we try hard enough to find them. We can reduce oil intake by switching to alternatives. Solar power will be a good source of electricity one day.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know, the oil supply will last for at least decades longer, though it will definitely decline before the end of the century. In a technical sense, we already have an alternative "fuel" for vehicles--electricity (though that electricity often comes at least partially from coal and oil plants). Hypermiling (driving in such a way as to maximize fuel efficiency, such as driving at or below the speed limit and coasting as much as possible) is a way to reduce the amount of fuel we use on a daily basis in our cars, and using more fuel-efficient vehicles also reduces fuel usage.
ReplyDeleteI think that solar power will indeed become more widely used with time, but I also think that other alternatives are important to consider as well. There's also wind, geothermal, and hydroelectric power, though those largely depend on whether local geography allows for efficient power generation. I, for one, would argue that nuclear power will (or at least should) be increasingly used as well because it is absurdly more efficient than any other method of power generation whatsoever, it's much more safe than most people think, and though the nuclear resources are already vast and won't dry up for a long time, the materials may actually be renewable as well (last I checked, scientists aren't sure about that last part yet).
Once the oil supply is gone alternative energy sources will be used. These fuels would include electricity. As our society continues to advance, other fuel sources will be found. I do believe that solar power is a good alternative but to say everyone will use it will be a stretch. Some people will not be able to afford the equipment necessary to use solar power, or will simply choose not to.
ReplyDeleteSince the oil supply will last for a while longer, I believe our technology will advance enough to be able to completely supply our electricity and power using other sources such as solar and wind power. Our vehicles, homes, and many other things are already using other sources rather than oil to run and work, showing that oil isn't the only way to have power. I feel that many people are already reducing their oil use by using solar panels and electric cars, but we shouldn't be too worried about shutting off almost all of our oil uses. I believe that solar power will be used by a lot of people, but there are many other types of non-oil energy sources that can be used rather than solar power.
ReplyDeleteHumans have known that the oil supply would eventually run out. That's why we have been working on developing alternative fuel sources for many decades. We are using those alternative sources so we can conserve our oil supply as long as possible. However, our oil supply is not in any immediate danger as far as we can tell. Hopefully before the supply runs out we will have converted everything to alternative sources so there is not a huge adjustment to the new energy. Although solar power is a viable and renewable energy source, I do not believe that it will be powerful enough to power all of our daily needs. Nuclear energy is more powerful than most forms of energy and would make a better source once the oil runs out.
ReplyDeleteCar companies are slowly but surely becoming powered by electric rather than gas. Ford plans to sell only hybrid vehicles by 2025. I believe solar power is a smart choice to power homes and it also saves money. I can see it being used by almost everyone in the world one day.
ReplyDeleteI am hopeful that by the time Earth is depleted of its oil supply humans would have already created cheap alternatives that are widely used and easily accessible. Inventors and creators will need to work much harder to create alternative fuel supplies that are cheap enough to be used by everyone. Tesla offer car models that are much more economically clean (electric and solar-powered) than most other vehicles; however, the pricing is not affordable for most Americans. I think solar power in combination with hydroelectric and wind power will be reliable enough to convert all use to. I would be hesitant to convert to nuclear energy as it alike oil is nonrenewable. I fully believe that one day everyone will be using a more environmentally clean source of energy.
ReplyDeleteGiven the current situation regarding our remaining oil supplies, I feel that we will be able to prosper with other alternative fuels sources. Solar power will definitely be a front runner in the new age of energy. However, I personally believe that nuclear energy will be the largest source of energy going into the 22nd century. Nuclear power has an almost limitless abundance of fuel available on earth and has an unprecedented amount of energy potential. Nuclear energy is actually considered the safest form of energy based on casualty and accident records. In addition, nuclear energy is the cheapest form of energy and cost pennies to produce a KWH of energy. If all nuclear programs across the globe are revolutionized, our world will certainly prosper for many more centuries.
ReplyDeleteI believe the world should switch to nuclear power for most of its energy. Nuclear power is the safest of all power producers including solar power. It also produces more energy per gram of fuel than any other fuel including coal and oil. Massive things like powerplants and ships. This would greatly reduce greenhouse gases and increase the time we can use oil. Nuclear power is the smartest choice for a clean and highly effiecnt future
ReplyDeleteI think that once we use all of the oil we will have to find alternative ways to fuel machines. However we should have a large enough supply of oil to sustain us for a while yet. It should last us long enough that by the time it’s almost gone we will be using solar powered machines and vehicles. I think that more than likely one day everyone will be using electric cars but I don’t think it’s anytime soon.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I am more concerned about the irreparable damage done to the environment by our by our current comfortable way of human existence than the possible aches and pains we might experience once our favorite method of masochism is finally taken away. I say masochism because the human race seems to be very fond of hurting itself, which is inherent in harming the planet. I think the bigger cause for concern is how to fix the mess we're in for the sake of the EARTH and its resources, not for our first-world lifestyles (which would surely save itself from much discomfort by switching to some new science of energy should our present way no longer be available - probably in the form of algae/bacteria bio-energy, as the promising research with oil company Shell shows may be perhaps possible soon...)
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