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According to an industry release this week biodiesel could help out with the summer energy crunch as drivers face higher and higher gas prices.

Here is a sample of that release:

As Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of the summer driving season, many would-be travelers are choosing to stick closer to home versus experiencing the pain of skyrocketing fuel prices at the pump. But as bad as fuel prices may seem now, they could be worse if it weren't for domestically produced, renewable biofuels such as biodiesel.

New data from the International Energy Agency show that global biofuels production has cut consumption of crude oil by 1 million barrels a day, offering savings of $120 million dollars a day. In addition, Merrill Lynch commodity strategist Francisco Blanch says that oil and gasoline prices would be about 15 percent higher now if biofuel producers were not increasing their output. The biodiesel industry is playing a key role in helping to address many of our nation's economic, environmental and energy security woes.

Read the rest of the biodiesel release here

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Energy Tags: wind power, alternative energy

Imagine that. The DOE has come out with a report that actually supports wind power and the role it could play in our energy strategy going forward. Instead of belittling it as an energy source as many have in the past the DOE study shows that wind power could help get us up to 20% of our energy supply by the year 2030.

"To dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance our energy security, clean power generation at the gigawatt-scale level will be necessary, and will require us to take a comprehensive approach to scaling renewable wind power, streamlining siting and permitting processes, and expanding the domestic wind manufacturing base," said Andy Karsner, DOE assistant secretary of energy efficiency and renewable energy.

The report, "20% Wind Energy by 2030," was released Monday.

Now of course there are obstacles to overcome in this wind development, such as building transmission lines, the pace of building turbines would have to quicken significantly, and the industries ability to ramp up would have to be increased. But the bottom line is that it is a positive step in the right direction. Instead of saying these energy sources won't help we are now saying let's give it a go and that is the right way to approach it in my opinion.

Still, the benefits are clear. Supplying 20 percent of our electricity from wind could reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the electric sector by 825 million metric tons, according to the report. It would also reduce water used in electricity generation, while reducing demand for fossil fuels. Other impacts the DOE notes are a new source of income for rural landowners from leasing land for wind farms, tax revenues for municipalities in local communities, and the creation of well-paying jobs in a green industry.

Read the DOE report here

Energy Tags: energy resources, wind power

Millions of Americans are struggling to make ends meet during this economic crunch that we are in. There is one thing though, that many of them are neglecting. Managing fuel cost.

Did you know that the average American who drives 15,000 miles per year will spend over $2000 on fuel this year? And the fact is, there is a couple of easy strategies that could cut that cost down to $1000-$1300.

Fact: If you put a hydrogen fuel cell on your car, you can almost DOUBLE your fuel economy.

The questions in most people's heads are, "Are they safe? Are they expensive?"

The answers are, yes they are extremely safe. You can actually build these yourself without being a rocket scientist or having any special equipment. Just household items and a few things that you can pick up your local auto store.

Energy Tags: battery technology, alternative energy

Explanation of peak oil. Once about half of the original reserves of oil are used up, oil production stops growing and begins a terminal decline, hence 'peak'. Oil is a finite, non-renewable resource, one that has powered enormous economic and population growth over the last century and a half.

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We can touch it, see it, and feel it everywhere we go. Football teams are named after it. It's called steel. Read on to find out how this amazing metal fuels our economic growth.

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