Last Name 1
ENG 1121 30
Proposal Essay Revision
July 21, 2010
The Energy Solution
The scientifically and politically-acclaimed novel Beyond Fossil Fools explains that Americans use a disturbing amount of oil and coal resources, more than any other nation, and we are beginning to run out. Currently, we are importing these resources from other countries. Because oil is regionally concentrated in areas outside America, we have to spend money to get it here, and the average consumer will have to deal with increasing gas prices at the pump just to drive (Shuster). Moreover, due to the constant use of electricity, our coal supply is running low as well. According to University of Michigan researchers Osman Chughtai and David Shannon, over sixty percent of the U.S.’ energy consumption is based on coal, natural gas, and motor gasoline. This means that eventually, there won’t be any fossil fuel left, resulting in the loss of use of vehicles, home appliances, and electricity based on these materials. Our consumption rate is so high that we will use up most of America’s oil resources within the next eight years, increasing our dependence on expensive foreign oil. If other countries like China or Russia begin to use as many resources as we do, the most conservative estimates indicate that the world will be bankrupt of all fossil fuels within the next few centuries (“Fossil Fuels”). Everyone that uses gas for a car, heater, or a stove will experience rising costs due to the increased scarcity of fuel. Anyone that uses electricity based on coal-powered steam will see a similar result, as coal resources are becoming more expensive to obtain.
However, there is good news. America can move away from its fossil-fuel dependence by shifting to alternative energy and providing funding to wind, nuclear, and solar power developers. By decreasing our dependence on imported oil and mined coal, we can reduce energy costs for the average consumer, reduce consumption of limited resources, and move towards self-sustenance as a country.
Since America realized that its fossil fuel reserves would eventually run out, there have been many endeavors to try to find a solution. For years, Americans have tried to slow the process of resource consumption to avoid disaster. However, we have not shifted enough of our energy needs away from fossil fuels to be able to sustain ourselves when the coal and oil run out. Some have explored researching technologies to utilize fossil fuels more efficiently. While this avenue has had some success, scientist/economist Thomas Easton claims that companies are reluctant to try it in the U.S. because Americans will simply drive more if their cars are more efficient, or use more power if it becomes cheaper, which leads to the consumption of even more resources (Taking Sides). Others have investigated research in biofuel usage, using plant matter to create gasoline fuel. However, the article “Biofuels: The Original Car Fuel” describes that this method still requires a bit of work because biofuel production is not very energy-effective, seeing as how just as much energy is created as is used in producing it (National Geographic). Still others have suggested alternatives that reduce consumption such as using less electricity buy purchasing low-wattage light bulbs, walking or biking instead of driving, or growing their own food instead of driving to the supermarket. While these are all valid approaches to reducing consumption, they only delay the inevitable and do not solve the larger problem.
However, there are productive alternatives. Wind energy in America has had a lot of success since its beginnings in the 1980’s. The book Taking Sides: Clashing Viewpoints in Energy and Society cites that California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger pledged to shift thirty percent of the state’s energy to wind-powered sources by 2012. So far, the state is meeting its deadlines (Easton). Wind energy has also received praise for its ability to be implemented just about anywhere. Many crop farmers have built turbines on their property and have begun to sell the extra electricity it provides to citizens in the surrounding area. The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) describes its potential by stating that turbines can often pay for themselves within eight months by selling the excess power they can generate. AWEA also predicts that if wind energy expansion efforts were maximized, as much as twenty percent of the nation’s energy could be supplied (“Wind Energy Potential”). The best part about wind energy is that it is renewable while causing almost no environmental hazards. It doesn’t give off any pollution or consume any resources during operation. Thomas Easton mentions that while birds can sometimes be killed by the spinning blades, these accidents tend to accompany turbines that use cross-lattice tower designs. The zig-zag pattern allows room for birds and bats to nest, which encourages them to fly near the blades, which can be dangerous. Fortunately, most of America’s wind turbines aren’t built with cross-lattice construction, instead preferring to use towers built with a solid-body design. These turbines have significantly fewer accidents (Taking Sides).
Solar energy has also made a name for itself. In areas where wind is less prevalent, photovoltaic cells (PVC’s) can absorb as much as ten percent of the sun’s rays and convert it into energy. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the nice thing about PVC’s is that, although initially expensive, they require no additional maintenance cost. Furthermore, solar conversion happens instantly without the aid of an expensive apparatus, and nothing is consumed (“Renewable Solar”). Some experts have argued that while effective, solar plates are limited mainly to commercial applications and aren’t consumer-friendly. But the solar company New Energy has developed a window that charges power during both the day and night. This is made possible by the installment of hundreds of solar cells smaller than a corn kernel. These cells can absorb light from the sun or from artificial sources like lamps. The best part is that developers have plans to install these windows in over eighty-million homes in the coming future (Erickson).
Additionally, nuclear energy is touted to have the greatest potential of all. The article “Nuclear Energy” explains that nuclear plants use much less fuel than traditional coal-based energy providers, and nuclear fuels are more plentiful than coal or oil. Most importantly, one pound of uranium creates almost four million times as much energy as a pound of coal. It’s estimated that a piece of uranium smaller than a tennis ball can provide four people with a life’s supply of power, encompassing transportation, heating, and electricity (Oracle Education Foundation). However, some people have voiced concerns about the danger of a nuclear accident or a problem with radiation storage, fearing widespread poisoning and mutation. But chemical engineer Joseph Shuster explains that as long as the maintenance protocols are followed, nuclear plants are safe. He illustrates the fact that the Three Mile Island meltdown could have been avoided if the machinery had been inspected and the malfunctioning equipment had been replaced as it was supposed to. He adds that the reactor vessel, built in accordance with safety standards, contained the radiation, ensuring that citizens living within ten miles received less radiation than a medical x-ray. Shuster concludes with a comparison of radioactive emissions from one coal plant in a twenty-mile radius and every nuclear plant across the nation. Assuming that all safety standards are followed, the one coal plant releases five times as much radiation as all the nuclear plants put together (Beyond Fossil Fools).
Therefore, with regard to these promising methods, a three-pronged solution can take advantage of these benefits. First, offer grants to encourage research and development for wind, solar, and nuclear energy companies. These alternative energy programs have already shown significant progress in creating feasible and beneficial solutions, and have great potential for future developments. The grants will require each company to show that their plan will be cost-effective and realistically productive. Most importantly, the plans must demonstrate how their solutions will connect to the existing distribution infrastructure.
Secondly, allow tax credits based on safety records and continued research for these enterprises so that they can maintain and provide the necessary structures for production. Many of the proposed solutions will require the staffing of new facilities, improvements to existing structures, or the modification of outdated apparatuses. The money that companies save as a result may then be used for solar panel arrays, new wind turbines, or nuclear cooling pipes. Also, the tax credits will provide an incentive to keep up with safety maintenance of these buildings and stimulate future research to develop better technology. If a little more money will encourage companies to run the facilities at ideal capacity, properly maintain safety protocols and continue technological advancement, it would be extremely well-invested.
Finally, modify the existing distribution infrastructure as needed so that homes and businesses can benefit from the new solutions. This is the most important part of the solution, because no matter the means of power generation, if it can’t be distributed effectively, it won’t work. The power transmission grid needs to be adjusted so that electricity can be transmitted with logistic efficiency to its destination. Joseph Shuster explains that with an effective grid, the lines lead directly to a destination without winding around, allowing electricity to be transmitted with minimal loss of intensity. He states that some of the most ineffective grids can lose up to seven percent of the initial voltage during transmission. They also are strategically placed so that if a building is constructed in the future, the supply lines can be easily attached from the main line, resulting in much less work later on (Beyond Fossil Fools). Therefore, builders should coordinate with city construction departments to aid these companies in laying water mains, underground distribution conduits, and power supply lines to make the distribution process faster and more efficient. This way the public can start to receive the benefits of these alternatives in a relatively prompt fashion and reduce wasted energy.
Considering that our planet’s resources are finite and our culture’s demand for them apparently isn’t, we need to make a new plan; a plan that won’t lead to the collapse of our way of life, one that provides continued sustenance and doesn’t end in self-consumption. We need a method of producing energy that is cost-efficient and uses fewer resources; a way of fixing the problem instead of pushing it away and hoping we won’t have to deal with it. This new solution will release us from our financial ties to other oil-rich countries, which will reduce transportation and air conditioning expenses. It will lead to the consumption of fewer resources, and produce less pollution, making it less harmful to the environment. It will provide economic opportunity, giving financial incentives to big businesses and opening the market for small enterprises. But best of all, we will not be doomed when fossil fuel resources run out.
Works Cited
“Biofuels: The Original Car Fuel.” National Geographic. n.d. Web. July 13, 2010.
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/biofuel-
profile.html
Chughtai, Osman and Shannon, David. “Fossil Fuels.” University of Michigan. n.d. Web. July 13, 2010. < http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/fossilfuels.htm
Easton, Thomas. Taking Sides: Clashing Viewpoints in Energy and Society. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009. Print. July 20, 2010.
Erickson, Briana L. "New Energy to Unveil World's First-of-Its-Kind See-Thru Glass SolarWindow Capable of Generating Electricity."Business Wire. 20July2010. ProQuest Newsstand,ProQuest. Web. July 20, 2010.
“Nuclear Energy.” Oracle Education Foundation. 28 Oct. 1996. Web. July 13, 2010. http://library.thinkquest.org/3471/nuclear_energy.html
“Renewable Solar.” U.S. Energy Information Administration. n.d. Web. July 13, 2010. http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=solar_home-basics-k.cfm>
Shuster, Joseph M. Beyond Fossil Fools: The Roadmap to Energy Independence by 2040. Edina: Beaver's Pond, 2008. Print. July 20, 2010.
“Wind Energy Potential.” American Wind Energy Association. 2009. Web. July 13, 2010. http://www.awea.org/faq/wwt_potential.html
English 1121: College Writing and Critical Reading
Proposal Essay Evaluation Form(120 points possible)
20 possible points / Clear, well-phrased,
appropriate thesis.
Effective focus.
Addresses purpose and form of the assignment. / Clear appropriate thesis.
Appropriate focus.
Addresses purpose
and form of the
assignment. / Less clear thesis.
Minimal focus.
Addresses the purposes and form, but slights some tasks. / Inappropriate,
unclear, or missing thesis; lacks focus.
Demonstrates confusion about the purpose of the assignment.
Organization & Structure / 10 / 8 / 5 / 3 / 10
10 possible points / Order and pattern of ideas is logical, coherent, and perhaps even dramatic. / Order and pattern of ideas is logical and coherent. / All parts of the essay are presented, but may not be in the best order or may lack coherence. / Incoherent or illogical organization.
Critical Thinking & Support / 30 / 25 / 20 / 10 / 25
30 possible points / Insightful critical
thinking and reasoning.
Strategic use of relevant
andconcrete support.
Appropriate depth
of research.
Sources are relevant,
credible, varied, and of
high quality. / Sound critical
thinking and
reasoning.
Effective use of
relevant and concrete
support.
Less depth of
research.
Sources are relevant
and credible. / Predictable
thinking and
reasoning.
Adequate support.
Research lacks depth. / Little evidence of critical thinking.
Irrelevant and
inadequate
support.
Lack of relevant
sources.
Audience Awareness / 10 / 8 / 5 / 3 / 10
10 possible points / Strong audience awareness.
Rigorous; consistently engages reader. / Awareness of needs and expectations of readers. / Limited audience awareness.
Shifting point-of-view. / No audience awareness.
Language and Style / 10 / 8 / 5 / 3 / 10
10 possible points / Appropriate and consistent tone and voice.
Sophisticated language and sentence structure.
College-level vocabulary. / Tone or voice wavers at times.
Less sophisticated language and sentence structure.
College-level vocabulary. / Inconsistent voice.
Unnecessary repetition.
Less sentence variety.
Limited vocabulary. / Inappropriate tone or voice.
Lack of sentence variety.
Basic vocabulary.
Grammar/
Technical Spec’s / 20 / 15 / 10 / 5 / 10
(20 possible points) / Generally free from errors.
Essay specifications are followed. / There may be a few minor errors.
One essay spec’ is not followed. / Patterns of errors.
More than one essay
specification is not
followed. / Frequent errors interfere with readability.
Many specifications are not followed.
Documentation / 20 / 15 / 10 / 5 / 20
(20 possible points) / Writer documents in-text and list of works cited correctly. / Writer documents sources correctly, but there may be some minor errors. / Writer attempts to document sources, but formatting is sometimes incorrect.
Formatting is
inconsistent / Documentation is missing or incorrect.
Essay Grade: 115/120