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Energy policies based primarily on oil are ALL ultimately flawed beyond fixing

There's no getting around it, America (for that matter the whole world) needs a solution to the "energy crisis" we have become painfully aware of in recent months because of the high price of gasoline and the outrageous (obscene?) amounts of profit raked in by the oil companies.

I won't get on a rant against Big Oil, but I simply must do my small bit at helping America think about a sane "energy policy," whatever that is.

My son (he's an engineer so very direct by nature) has put it as well as I could regarding the myriad plans for reducing oil consumption, hybrid vehicles, "clean coal" plants, and all the rest: "You know, it's all fossil fuel and no matter what we do to cut back, conserve, drill, or not drill, it will someday run out."

That, really, is the bottom line: Oil and coal, completely apart from any advantages or disadvantages, will some day run out. It may be 10 years, 30 years, or 100 years, but there is only a finite supply of oil in the world. Measures to formulate any energy policy based on oil are ultimately doomed. Or, to look at it another way: the best acne treatment plan in the world only covers up the blemishes if it fails to treat the underlying disease(s).

The best energy policy in the world, likewise, only covers up the problem if it fails to SERIOUSLY develop non-oil energy sources to power our vehicles, heat/cool our homes, and run our industries.

Here's a thought, I believe, in the right direction: Hydrogen powered vehicles are not really far out of reach. At least two major automakers (BMW and Honda, I think) already make usable hydrogen powered vehicles. The challenge mostly is to provide affordable, widely available hydrogen "stations" where they can fuel up.

Wake up, folks. Don't let any politician of any political party play "the energy card" and fool you into thinking more drilling for oil is the answer. That's only covering up the blemish. Alternative fuel sources will always and only be the "answer" to America's and the world's energy future.
[tags]alternative fuel sources, hydrogen powered cars, energy policy, just a guy who reads the papers[/tags]