America's Road To Energy Independence

On several past occasions, I have analyzed and discussed varied forms of alternative energy, from refining oil shale to producing synthetic petroleum created via thermal conversion to drilling homegrown oil under the assumption of it being a renewable resource.

All these techniques are excellent paths towards achieving independence from Middle East oil, but as I recently learned (hat tip to Israpundit), an even better method exists: alcohol-based fuel. That's right - a combination of ethanol (the stuff you drink) and methanol (wood alcohol that you should never ever drink) is an excellent subsitute for gasoline.

According to the above sentence's linked piece, written by aerospace researcher Dr. Robert Zubrin, America can already produce oil-less electricity through nuclear, wind, solar, and hydroelectric power. What we haven't done yet on a large scale, though, is achieve a petroleum-free gasoline substitute. Many alternative methods have been proposed, the most popular being hydrogen fuel cells, but until technology improves, these will largely remain inefficient. Alcohol-based fuel was rarely considered in the past, but with rising oil costs and the increasing dangers of depending on energy from the Middle East, the article claims that now is a perfect time to switch.

Is this truly realistic? Naturally I'd tend to be skeptical, the logic being that if it worked, we'd have attempted it already. And except for occasional users such as the Indycar Series, America obviously hasn't done so.

But another country has.

Though virtually unreported in the mainstream news media, Brazil in the past few years has transitioned almost entirely from gasoline to alcohol. Tired of rising oil prices, Brazil invested heavily in ethanol-based cars and fueling stations over, and today the country has become entirely energy independent. Most of the fuel comes from homegrown cane sugar, and Brazilians have benefited triply from lower prices at the pump, increased agricultural output, and lower pollution. Now, India, China, and other nations with soaring energy needs are carefully eyeing the Brazilian model and planning accordingly.

If Brazil can throw off the chokehold of Middle East oil, America certainly can too.