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Topic 629	Chris Flavin On Saving Oil
igc:afrey	en.energy	 5:31 pm  Aug 26, 1990

The following article appeared in The New York Times 8/26/90:

Detroit: America's Best Source of Oil By Christopher Flavin

At least one fact has become inescapably clear during the past two
weeks.  The world cannot afford a continuation of the steady
increase in dependence on Persian Gulf oil.  Means are available
to reverse this trend.  We can make our cars, buildings and
industry far more fuel-efficient than they are today.  The
question is whether there is the political will to do so.

Few can deny that the world is recklessly over-dependent on Middle
Eastern oil.  Indeed, the situation is getting worse all the time.
World oil demand has increased more than 2 percent annually since
1985.  Meanwhile, the Middle East's share of the world oil market
is rising at more than one million barrels per day each year.

This dangerous trend is hardly a surprise.  Experts saw it coming
for years.  But political leaders studiously ignored the problem,
slashing many of the programs that could have reduced oil
consumption and thereby vulnerability to the kind of military
crisis that now exists.

Automobiles are at the root of American oil dependence.  Some 43
percent of the country's oil is now used in automobiles.  And 20
percent is used in other forms of transportation like air travel
and trucking.  Any efforts to reduce oil consumption must start
with these transportation systems that together account for nearly
two-thirds of oil use.

Ironically, these facts seemed to be better understood in the
1970's when Congress approved fuel economy standards that nearly
doubled the fuel economy of American cars during a 10-year period.
However, these standards were than allowed to remain at the level
achieved in 1986.  Indeed, for several years the Reagan
Administration provided the auto industry with exemptions to the
standards already in place.

As a consequence, cars rolling off Detroit's assembly lines in
1989 were actually less efficient than those of the previous year.
This is a tragic reversal.  If the Average fuel economy was just
five miles per gallon higher, we would be importing two million
fewer barrels of oil each day, and in a much better position to
withstand the effects of the embargo on Iraq.

President Bush finally discovered the words "energy conservation"
after American troops were on their way to the Persian Gulf.  Mr
Bush, however, was Vice President in an Administration that
attempted to eliminate virtually every program aimed at reducing
oil dependence.

Even in 1990, the country is spending just $411 million on energy
conservation, over 50 percent below the levels of the early 1980's
and equivalent to a few days' expenditure on the American forces
now in the Persian Gulf.  The Bush Administration is asking for
substantial cuts in these conservation programs next year.

Simply raising new-car fuel economy from the currant average of 27
miles per gallon to 40 miles per gallon would reduce American oil
consumption by 2.8 million barrels per day by the year 2005.  This
is nearly 10 times the rate of oil production that the petroleum
industry thinks is possible from the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge, which it claims is the largest potential source of new oil
supply in the United States.

The automotive technologies to accomplish these goals are
available.  Prototype vehicles that get more than 70 miles per
gallon have been developed, though they have not yet reached the
marketplace.

The projected additional cost for a 40-mile-per gallon car is
$500.  This sum would be more than offset by gasoline savings of
more than $2,000 during the life a a typical car.  Fortuitously,
the Senate is scheduled to vote on  a bill mandating fuel economy
standards in September.

The folly of relying on the Middle East for most of the Western
world's energy supplies has been clearly revealed.  Political
leaders need to understand the simple fact that the biggest oil
field available to the United States is in Detroit.  With American
lives now on the line, it is time that President Bush got serious
about the country's energy efficiency.

Conf?