Every_Miles_A

When we realize our insignificance in this world,
it some how relieves the pressures from society to succeed - Cindy Bonish 04/07

Going Green Gets Us Out Of The Middle East And Puts

Billions Back Into American Workers’ Pockets

Oil prices are through the roof and it’s costing us dearly. We empty our pockets in order to line those of the oil barons in the Middle East and elsewhere, and as we do so our dependence on their crude oil continues to deepen at an alarming rate due to our consumption habits.

This need not be the case because America has the technology and the natural resources to break this reliance on the Middle East. In fact doing so has several other significant benefits. Firstly, by purchasing American fuel we can stimulate the economy by keeping our US dollars in US pockets, but perhaps the most attractive aspect is the green issue; for the fuel in question is renewable plant and/or animal fat-based biodiesel.

As a nation we might predominantly use gasoline-engine vehicles for personal use, but our freight and shipping industry is wholly diesel based. Factor in the diesel needed to power most generators, construction equipment and industrial heating, and it becomes clear that we use a vast amount of diesel per annum, and it is this market that alternative fuels and energy specialist, Dr. Richard Craven, believes is crucial in our breaking free of Middle Eastern oil dependence.

“Diesel fuel accounts for over 40 billion gallons of petroleum consumed in the US each year – and that figure is for highway transportation use alone,” says Dr. Craven. “That is over 100 billion dollars a year. So you can multiply that figure by at least five when you take into account the other diesel users.”

“There is absolutely no reason why we should be paying that sum to a Middle Eastern company for fuel, when it is readily available from companies here in America.”

Dr. Craven has spent over 15 years at the forefront of chemical research and development, with emphasis on environmentally friendly fuels and alternative energy solutions during the past decade. He is a recognized authority in the field and is also the spokesperson for Universal Bioenergy, a Mississippi-based biodiesel manufacturer. While he acknowledges that an increase in the usage of biodiesel would profit Universal Bioenergy, he is quick to point out that the benefits for other companies and industries, not to mention the positive environmental aspects, far outstrip those of the biofuel manufacturers.

“The benefits to the environment are substantial,” Dr. Craven explains. “We’ve all seen a truck pull away from the lights in a huge cloud of black smoke, well with biodiesel that is greatly reduced. It essentially contains no sulfur, so it reduces acid rain caused by regular diesel exhaust emissions which contain sulfur. Biodiesel also produces far smaller carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and other hydrocarbon emissions. And of course because you’re growing more plants from which to manufacture the fuel, there is more vegetation to consume these remaining carbon emissions anyway. It’s a closed-loop which is great news for the environment.”

This ‘green’ side to biodiesel doesn’t just impact the environment, but is a tremendous stimulant to the economy. Biodiesel is manufactured from vegetable oils – American farmers’ crops – and animal fats/greases. Some of the plants used for producing biodiesel ‘feedstocks’ can grow in areas not suitable for ‘edible foodstock’ plants, therefore farmers and co-operatives can utilize formerly unused land with which to generate increased revenues. Additionally, many of these alternative feedstock crops available for biodiesel production can produce more than twice the oil yield of edible foodstock crops – which in turn leads to increased productivity and increased revenues for the American agricultural industry and its associated service industries.

Perhaps biodiesel’s ace in the hole is that it is a 100% renewable fuel. “Crude oil is running out, and when anything goes into short supply, its price increases,” observes Dr. Craven. “As this happens, biodiesel will become even more cost-effective for users. There are already tax breaks for green fuel companies and they usually pass on their savings to the consumers via price cuts. As productivity increases, this trend will increase also.”

It is such an elegant and simple solution – certainly not rocket science. Although, with the advances in technology that Dr. Craven and his peers are spearheading, perhaps biodiesel will be used as the rocket fuel of the future. But wherever it leads, the opportunity to decrease our spending in the Middle East, increase our own economy, and make another step forward with environmentalism should be embraced.

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About Dr. Richard Craven

Dr. Richard Craven is the national spokesperson for Universal Bioenergy. Much of his career has been spent in the chemical research and development of environmentally friendly fuels and alternative energy. Dr. Craven worked as lead chemical researcher and developer at Antek Research Inc. – a non-profit research firm specializing in environmental issues, including optimizing biodiesel processes.

Mississippi based Universal Bioenergy is a biofuel manufacturer at the forefront of the green technologies revolution. Biodiesel is made from vegetable oil, or animal fat; it is biodegradable, non-toxic, and typically produces up to 78% less net carbon dioxide emissions than petroleum-based diesel fuel. Biodiesel is used to power cars, buses, trucks, construction equipment, locomotives, boats, generators, and is also used as heating oil. Universal Bioenergy’s refinery is one of the most economical, efficient, and compactly designed plants in the United States with a smaller footprint than typical plants for the same production capacity. Universal’s unique manufacturing process requires less time and less energy to yield a fuel of high quality and effectiveness.

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