Fuels of the future: what will power America's cars and homes in the future?

Whiz kid Jimmy Neutron may know how to build rockets and Jet-Paks to get himself out of jams. But 21st-century technology is light-years behind the boy genius. Today, America's hopes for alternative-energy sources are firmly planted on or in the earth--in corn, insects, and wood chips, to be specific.

"Addicted to Oil"

For centuries, science-fiction writers have imagined a world in which people could, like Jimmy Neutron, travel from Earth into space with the snap of a finger. U.S. Presidents from Jimmy Carter to George W. Bush have had a more modest goal: making the U.S. a nation that relies less on fossil fuels to heat homes and power cars and more on corn and other alternative-energy sources.

In recent months, that goal has taken on new urgency. "America is addicted to oil," said Bush in his January State of the Union address. "The best way to break this addiction is through technology."

There are many reasons to cut oil consumption (use) in the U.S. Our nation imports about 60 percent of its oil. Much of it comes flora the Middle East and other unstable parts of the world (see map, 19. 7). Such a dependence threatens national security and leaves Americans vulnerable to higher prices at the gas pump.

Furthermore, the world's oil supply is limited. No one knows for sure when oil wells will go dry, but geologists estimate that production will begin to decline in 2025 or 2030.

Many scientists also say that global warming, caused largely by burning fossil fuels, is having dire consequences on worldwide weather patterns and sea levels. That makes the search for biofuels and other "clean" energy even more crucial.

Energy Alternatives

Clean energy sources sound great. But they can be costly to develop. Here is a look at some of the most promising possibilities that President Bush supports as part of his Advanced Energy Initiative.

Ethanol: An alternative automotive fuel made from corn, grain, or plant waste that is typically blended with gasoline. Critics say that the current method of producing ethanol uses more energy (in equipment, fossil fuel, and land) than it creates (in fuel).

Cellulosic ethanol: Scientists are trying to understand more about the bacteria in the stomachs of termites. This bacteria promotes the digestion of cellulose, a material found in straw and other woody plants. If the tiny hydrogen-making microbes could be mass-produced, they could power hydrogen fuel cells, a type of battery that emits only water.

Solar power: Sunlight can be harnessed to produce heat of generate electric power. One of the cleanest alternatives available, solar power is still impractical for cars. It is being used only on a limited basis in homes to produce electricity.

Wind power: If we could capture just 10 percent of the wind's kinetic (movement) energy, we would have more than enough power to meet the world's yearly energy demands. But there is a limit to the number of wind turbines (see photo on p. 6) that can be built. The devices are also noisy, and sometimes dangerous to birds.

Plug-in hybrid cars: Scientists are working to develop more efficient batteries for hybrid cars, which are powered by both electricity and gasoline.

More Fuel Efficiency?

As important as it is to develop alternative energy sources, some experts say that the President should be doing more to curb energy use now. They believe that the U.S. should have a higher tax on gasoline, and that automobile makers should be required to produce more fuel-efficient cars.

So far, the President has rejected a higher tax and stricter fuel standards. What do you think? Would a higher gasoline tax help cut consumption? If you were Jimmy Neutron, how would you end America's addiction to oil?

WORDS TO KNOW

* biofuels: fuels produced from renewable resources, such as plants.

* fossil fuels: fuels such as coal, oil, or natural gas that are formed in the earth from plant or animal remains.

* global warming: an increase in the average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans, caused mostly by human activities.</p> <pre> Top-Five Oil Exporters to the U.S. Canada 782,598 Mexico

609,225 Venezuela 568,944 Nigeria 417,152 Saudi Arabia 

570,137 782,598 = Number of barrels per year </pre> <p>* OBJECTIVES Students should understand

* that supplies of fossil fuels are limited.

* what possible "clean" and renewable alternate energy sources are being considered.

* BACKGROUND

In the 1970s, the U.S. suffered widespread oil shortages. In the wake of that crisis, Congress set fuel-efficiency standards. Though carmakers balked at first, they began producing smaller cars with more efficient engines. However, as larger vehicles, such as SUVs, became popular, fuel consumption climbed again. The ubiquity of computers and other electronic devices also contributes to high energy consumption.

* CRITICAL THINKING

COMPREHENSION: What is the difference between biofuels and fossil fuels? (Biofuels are produced flora renewable resources, such as plants. Fossil fuels, which include coal, petroleum, and natural gas, are nonrenewable resources formed deep in the earth.)

FINDING SOLUTIONS: If you could pass a law limiting U.S. oil consumption, what would it be? Would you set a tax, require carmakers to produce more efficient vehicles, ration electricity, of something else? Give reasons to support your answer. (Answers will vary.)

* ACTIVITY

ENERGY DEBATES: Organize pro and con debate teams or pair off individuals for each of the energy sources in the "Energy Alternatives" section on p. 7. (You may also want to have debaters for gasoline, natural gas, and/or nuclear energy.) Pro debaters should come up with advantages of that source, con debaters with disadvantages. As they debate (set a time limit for each), each side should cite supporting evidence.

STANDARDS

SOCIAL STUDIES, GRADES 5-8

* Production, distribution, and consumption: How the U.S. relies on other countries for more than hall of the oil it consumes.

* Science, technology, and society: How scientists and researchers are looking for clean, renewable alternatives to fossil fuels.

RESOURCES

PRINT

* Biekerstaff, Linda, Oil Power of the Future (Rosen Publishing Group, 2003). Grades 6-10.

* Miller, Kimberly M., What If We Run Out of Fossil Fuels? (Scholastic Library Publishing, 2002). Grades 6-10.

WEB SITES

* Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy eere.energy.gov/kids

* Energy Information Administration eia.doe.gov/kids</p> <pre> * Match each person or phrase in the left column with the correct description in the right column. -- 6. coal A. a biofuel -- 7. ethanol B. kinetic energy -- 8. hydrogen fuel cell C. battery that emits -- 9. solar power only water -- 10. wind power D. a fossil fuel E. energy generated by sunlight </pre> <p>6. D

7. A

8. C

9. E

10. B