Shockingly, energy policymakers do not understand that electricity and transportation cannot exist without products made from fossil fuels. Political bureaucrats and policymakers seem to be oblivious to humanity’s addiction to oil, as they are to these two basic facts:
- No one uses crude oil in its raw form. ‘Big Oil’ only exists because of humanity’s addiction to the products and fuels made from oil
- ‘Renewables’ only exist to generate occasional electricity, as they cannot make any products or fuels
In a world where energy policymakers want to be dominated by wind turbines and solar panels to generate occasional electricity whenever the wind blows or the sun shines, there will be nothing to ‘electrify’ as there will be nothing that needs electricity.
Energy policymakers do not understand that everything that needs electricity is made with petrochemicals manufactured from crude oil, coal, or natural gas, from the light bulb to the iPhone, defibrillator, computers, spacecraft, and medications.
The elephant in the room that the energy policymakers refuse to discuss is that crude oil is the foundation of our materialistic society, as it is the basis of all products and fuels demanded by the 8 billion now on this planet.
Ridding the world of raw crude oil before we have a replacement to produce the oil derivatives currently manufactured from crude oil, we’re back to the 1800s.
The greatest threat to the world’s populations could be the future for billions to exist and prosper without those oil derivatives that are currently supporting more than 6,000 products for society.
Shockingly, energy policymakers, parents, teachers, students, and those in the media have no clue or understanding about the basis of the products in our daily lives from crude oil! Energy literacy at its worst.
Energy policymakers, armed with their lack of energy literacy, continue their pursuit to eliminate the only known sources of the products that support modern lifestyles and economies around the world.
Looking back at the history of the petroleum industry, it illustrates that black, cruddy-looking crude oil was virtually useless unless it could be manufactured (refining) into oil derivatives, which are now the basis of chemical products, such as plastics, solvents and medications, that are essential for supporting modern lifestyles.
More than 6,000 products based on oil are used for the health and well-being of humanity, and the generation of electricity did not exist a few short centuries ago.
Energy policymakers should know that there is no need to over-regulate the ‘suppliers of fossil fuels’ when there is no replacement to meet the supply chain of product ‘demands’ of our materialistic world. It’s obvious that energy policies are the real existential threat to billions across our planet.
Over the last 200 years, after the discovery of the products and transportation fuels that could be manufactured from crude oil, the world’s population has grown from 1 to 8 billion. It was the ‘products’ from oil that supported this tremendous growth in population.
Today, we have more than 50,000 merchant ships, more than 20,000 commercial aircraft, and more than 50,000 military aircraft that use fuel manufactured from crude oil. The fuels to move the heavy-weight and long-range needs of jets moving people and products, the merchant ships for global trade flows, and the military and space programs are also dependent on what can be manufactured from crude oil.
In California, the fourth-largest economy in the world, energy policymakers are proud that California has increased imported crude oil from 5 percent in 1992 to almost 60 percent of total consumption today. Today, California’s 9 International airports, 41 military airports, and 3 of the largest shipping ports in the world are all controlled by foreign oil.
If the United States energy policymakers follow California’s ‘so-called successes’ in continuing to reduce crude oil production, the country will have to continue increasing its reliance on foreign countries to meet America’s economic energy demands!
Petrochemicals manufactured from crude oil are the basis of products:
- Products in manufacturing wind turbine blades, solar panels, vehicles, and everything that “needs” electricity.
- Products widely used in healthcare include pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, and plastic medical supplies.
- Products for construction materials to décor and kitchen necessities.
- Products of tires and asphalt used in transportation infrastructures.
- Fuels to move the heavy-weight and long-range needs of commercial jets, moving people and products, merchant ships for global trade flows, and military and space programs.
Energy policymakers do not comprehend that Teslas are 100% made from crude oil.
EV tires, electronic components, upholstery, etc., are 100% made from oil derivatives manufactured from crude oil.
Further, all the parts and components of every electricity generation system (coal, natural gas, nuclear, hydro, wind, and solar) are also made from the oil derivatives manufactured from oil.
Before the 1800s and before the discovery of oil, we had no crude oil, products, electricity, or Teslas.
Mandating EVs and electricity generation from wind turbines and solar panels is mandating more use of crude oil.
Simplistically, to rid the world of oil usage, STOP using products made from oil!
If energy policymakers want to promote ridding the world of oil, they should start promoting humanity to stop demanding the products and fuels from oil.
First published at America Out Loud News.
Photo by Axel Buhrmann, Attribution 2.0 Generic.
Ronald Stein is an internationally published columnist and energy consultant, and a policy advisor for The Heartland Institute.
