Oil depletion and use of vehicles: what are the alternative energies?

Résumé du document

In our modern society, oil is omnipresent in our habits and plays a significant role. It has several stakes in economical, political and strategic fields. Indeed oil is considered as the best energy source because it is easily extracted, stocked and transformed. Moreover, its energy yield is very high. However, the constant growth of the world oil consumption linked with concerns about the energy security, raise many ethical problems. What are these problems? What solutions can be provided? In a first part, the context of oil and its depletion will be set. Then, in a second part, the overall business ethics problems will be tackled. In a third part, light will be thrown on the particular issue of car industry. The top 20 countries which have the greatest proven petroleum reserves in 2006 represent 95% (1224.5 billion barrels) of the world reserves. The ratio reserves/production remains rather stable and, at the current level, petroleum reserves are superior to 40 years. Many areas have become dependent on these countries: oil is today a pillar of our societies: new uses of petroleum appear every day. OPEC is the main player on the oil market, created at the Baghdad Conference in 1960 by Venezuela, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Later Qatar (1961), Indonesia, Libya, Algeria, Nigeria, Ecuador, United Arab Emirates, Gabon and Angola (2007) joined the five founding members.

Extraits

[...] Ethanol is the most common biofuel, which is produced thanks to fermentation of sugars derived from wheat, corn, sugar beet and sugar cane. Ethanol can also be used as a replacement for gasoline Use of gas Natural gas Natural gas gives more energy than oil or coal, and is less polluting. Moreover, vehicles working with natural gas are less noisy than those working with diesel or gas. However, as well as oil and coal, this resource is limited (natural gas). [...]

[...] These types of vehicles are very common in Brazil. In fact, most of vehicles produced from 1980 onward can run on ethanol and gasoline (for example E10) without any modifications, but the engine can have problems and increase CO2 emissions. That is why it is strongly advised to have special engineering to use higher levels of ethanol. Ford Focus FFV, Focus C-MAX, Saab 9-5n Saab Volvo S40 are some of the flexible-fuel vehicles sold in Europe Hybrid-electric vehicles Hybrid vehicles most of the time refer to hybrid-electric vehicles, which use internal combustion and electric battery to power electric motors. [...]

[...] Related to the use of electric vehicles The use of electric vehicles will sharply increase the demand of electricity. However, no manner of producing electricity is ideal, each of them having its own issues Coal Coal comes from plants, and is extracted from mines. Its reserves are very abundant, representing 200 years of consumption. However, coal is really polluting since it produces ashes and gas with arsenic. Moreover, its extraction can cause collapses and miners death, and it is not practical to store. [...]

[...] Thus, the increase in the use of oil and the decreasing reserves have lead to higher prices. Nevertheless, with oil depletion appears a major issue: how will our future vehicle work? II. Indispensable alternatives The uses of oil are numerous (cars, industry, heating As a consequence, we suffer an oil depletion, and as a consequence, Because of the problems we explained, alternatives must be found in order to overcome oil penury. The issue we talk the most about is the utilisation of oil for cars. [...]

[...] In this context, it seems to be difficult to have a harmonization of the needs among the OPEC countries Their offer and obligations Offer: World oil production grew of in 2006, which is 410,000 barrels per day. This growth has been the lowest since 5 years. - During the five past years, in OECD countries, the trend for the oil production has been globally bear. - OECD excluded, the non-OPEC production has increased. - OECD excluded, the OPEC production has also increased to a lesser extent: volume have been adjusted to balance the market. [...]