Op-Ed Digest: Can Other Energy Sources Temper Gas Costs?

This story was written by Staff reports, UWIRE

This is the second article in an occasional series examining students opinions relating to rising oil and fuel prices and what can be down to temper the costs.

With fuel prices stuck above $4 a gallon, many are wondering if other energy sources could help ease the pain. College columnists and editorial boards take on if nuclear energy, biodiesal fuels or wind power will be the nations solution.

Americans fear stalls nuclear progressSource | The PostAmericans need to stop listening to extremist environmentalists when it comes to our national energy policy. Suffering a blinding flash of the obvious, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change identified the advancement of nuclear power production as a key mitigation [] practice that would help reduce carbon emissions. In a rational analysis of the choices, nuclear power is a great option. Unfortunately, American energy policy these days is anything but rational. Read more.

Biodiesel better than corn-based cousinSource | Daily TexanInstead of requiring new resources like corn-based ethanol, biodiesel can be made from the millions of gallons of cooking oil that are discarded by restaurants, cafeterias and households each year. A movement towards biodiesel rather than ethanol would be more ecologically conservative, as well as more financially responsible, for the country. Read more.

10 percent ethanol gas the best way to go?Source | Daily MississippianThe U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that biofuels are already reducing the demand for imported crude by a million barrels a day, and their impact on oil prices may be positive. But one official at the U.N. believes the switch to biofuel could upset the global market, leading to starvation in poor countries. Read more.

Wind power to become sustainable energySource | Mustang DailyWind-power technologies are reaching levels of scale that were formerly the staple of coal and gas-fired plants and nuclear reactors. In other words, green is going giant. Companies currently building or dreaming up large projects argue that there are economies of scale to be gained from these endeavors. Read more.

Food prices highlight need for alternative energySource | The PostIts no secret that the United States immediately jumped on the corn bandwagon, and farmers turned their attention to corn as a crop that would be lucrative when ethanol proved to be the renewable fuel of the future. Unfortunately, corn-based ethanol is not the answer to our energy-saving prayers, as producing it creates a net energy loss. Ironically enough, heavy machinery is needed to maintain huge fields of corn, and that machinery is powered by the same fossil fuels ethanol is aiming to replace, creating a counter-productive increase in demand for oil. Read more.

Big oil must invest in futureSource | Daily MississippianNext time youre driving through Oxford or looking for a gas exit off of I-55, Ive got a thought for you to consider: Exxon-Mobil is the only oil corporation to not have invested any money or research into the creation or perfection of an alternative fuel. Read more.