Obama Offers Alternative to Fossil Fuels
**Written by Doug Powers
Yesterday we talked a little bit about President Obama’s energy speech from a “drilling for more oil is not a strategy that will solve our energy challenge” perspective, but we didn’t much cover Obama’s plans for an alternate source that would replace fossil fuels and effectively address that energy challenge.
In that same speech yesterday, Obama provided a glimpse into one possible “green” energy future: algae:
“We’re making new investments in the development of gasoline and diesel and jet fuel that’s actually made from a plant-like substance — algae,” the president said at a campaign stop in Florida. “You’ve got a bunch of algae out here, right? If we can figure out how to make energy out of that, we’ll be doing all right.”
Obama said the nation could replace up to 17 percent of the oil it imports for transportation with “this fuel that we can grow right here in the United States. And that means greater energy security. That means lower costs. It means more jobs. It means a stronger economy.”
So don’t fret gas prices America — the solution to your energy woes could be as close as that neglected aquarium in your dentist’s office. It’ll make a great charging station.
In 2010, the Feds doled out millions of dollars in grants to turn algae into fuel. We’ll know algae is ready for commercial use as fuel when the government starts taxing it until it’s more expensive than gasoline.
Just in case this algae thing ever comes anywhere near reaching critical mass, Daryl Hannah has already set up camp outside the White House to put a stop to it:
As another alternative, the Department of Energy has plans to harvest euphausiids for conversion into fuel in an initiative entitled “Krill, Baby, Krill.”
Wild prediction: Before the election, the administration will announce an investment of billions of taxpayer dollars to build a car called the Chevy Plankton.
**Written by Doug Powers
Twitter @ThePowersThatBe
See what others have said
Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
 |
GOP Texas primary fight: Desperate Dewhurst slimes conservative challenger Ted Cruz
May 25, 2012 07:31 PM by Michelle Malkin
8 CommentsWho’s funding Brett Kimberlin?
May 25, 2012 01:52 PM by Michelle Malkin
28 CommentsObama’s Land of the LOST
May 25, 2012 01:42 PM by Michelle Malkin
55 CommentsObama’s latest campaign angle: I’ve been saving America from wild Republican debts
May 24, 2012 04:33 PM by Doug Powers
55 Comments
Senate finally passes a budget approves bill striking word ‘lunatic’ from federal law
May 24, 2012 11:22 AM by Doug Powers
193 CommentsStammertime: Jay Carney asked if Chicago protests have soured Obama’s support for OWS
May 23, 2012 07:44 PM by Doug Powers
54 Comments
S.E. Cupp, Hustler, and the four stages of conservative female abuse
May 23, 2012 02:13 PM by Michelle Malkin
142 CommentsBiden: Tea Party stopped us from growing the economy
May 23, 2012 01:55 PM by Doug Powers
44 Comments
Pig Maher’s boy Bill Burton mocks my support of Hatch challenger Dan Liljenquist
May 23, 2012 11:37 AM by Michelle Malkin
32 Comments
Categories: Barack Obama,Enviro-nitwits,Politics
JustOneMinute
» Barack, Youthful Leader!JustOneMinute
» Patterico And The Brett Kimberlin GangBabalu Blog
» U.S. Manned Space Flight in The 21st CenturyVillainous Company
» Must Read Post of the Day. Possibly, the Year
I find it hard to understand that the mainstream media has not commented on the endless string of lies from the President’s speech on energy. Even Fox gave him pretty much of a pass.
New plan:
Step 1: Steal underpants (and diapers)
Step 2: ???
Step 3: Free energy!
Can’t we harvest the gas from all the hot air that is coming from the leftist politicians? RENEWABLE ENERGY!!
What’s new? They have given him a pass on all of his lies from the very beginning. Almost all are fellow travelers, even the media owners, protecting their own. Besides, they all know he means well.
“We’re making ‘new investments’..blah…blah…blah..” Translation: “I’m gonna throw away more TAX DOLLARS, & there’s not a DAMN THING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT!”
“You’ve got a bunch of algae out here, right?…”
Translation: “You’re just a bunch of pond slime fools here who’ll vote me the ‘great one’ for four more years, right?”
It doesn’t matter that we are exporting oil….it doesn’t matter we are sitting on LOTS AND LOTS OF OIL/COAL. Didn’t Prez. Obama ban drilling? Didn’t Prez. Obama send BILLIONS to BRA-ZIL so they could drill?
THE DOPES OF D.C. are killing this country.
I see a STORM-A-COMIN’! Ah-Yep!
We have mostly already used and discarded krill for oil. I haven’t seen whale oil in the grocery stores in like forever.
Odimbulb said DRILLING is not a POLICY that helps our need for alternative energy.
My CAR DOESN’T RUN ON ALTENATIVE ENERGY.
I called my Congressman James Sensenbrenners office yesterday after seeing DIMBULB OBAMA speak.
His office BOY, asked me what I’d like the Congressman to do.
I responded. “are you suggesting the Congressman CANNNOT do anything? If so, I’d suggest Congressman Sensenbrenner get the HELL OUT OF OFFICE and let someone capable serve for the next 34 years”.
Obama lies every time he speaks. He needs to be called a LIAR every time.
I know a good renewable bio-fuel that would make democrats heads explode.
Bring back whale oil.
O/T…Just got back from seeing Act of Valor with my wife and four boys.
All I can say is it is a must see movie. The action is unbelievable (not to mention authentic), the story is great and the end will hit you hard.
If dirty Algae ever does becomes competitive with dirty oil, they will find a way to shut it down. Cheap energy is the last thing this administration wants.
If the secret ingredient were Kudzu instead of algae they might be on to something.
On February 24, 2012 at 12:31 pm, Adkhiker said:
Travel to Mars would be possible.
Travel to Mars is not only possible, asteroids do it all the time…
Oh… you mean by humans, from Earth… nevermind…
***
HI HAWKEYE54–#97. It’s not for nothing that gun and ammo sales–and concealed carry permits have been growing gangbusters over the 3 years of Comrade Obama’s Reign. It was / is the “handwriting on the wall” to see the Department of (social) Justice ignore the Black Panther voter intimidation charges put against them by the Bush 43 DOJ and cut them loose. And to see the courts that should be following the Constitution and providing the protections guaranteed to us all. Instead of finding phony “penumbra” right reasons to favor certain groups and people.
***
The Second Amendment was added to the Constitution to protect the people against a corrupt out of control government that wouldn’t / isn’t protecting the people. At some point continued failure to follow our laws will mean that violence will replace law.
***
And any person who is the target of violent Muslims or other locos should arm themselves and make sure that they can protect their lives and defend themselves against assaults. Restraining orders don’t mean anything to someone who wants you dead and doesn’t care what happens to them afterward. Smart people, those founding fathers and those who demanded amendments to protect our rights.
***
John Bibb
***
Holy Crap! Hey, actually crap could be a fuel source. Has somebody said that yet?
Let them
eat cakeburn algae.Well yes, the poor have been using that in places like India for maybe … 1000′s of years. Eco-nitwits have a campaign to ‘persuade’ them to abandon using dung because it causes lung diseases. Of course the poor who starve paying off the loan on their hot plate or get some other deadly disease because they didn’t cook their food won’t be around to complain about their asthma …
Comrade Obama has found Florida to be a great source of algae for his dream of slime green energy. He failed to mention the slimy algae- filled swimming pools of the abandoned foreclosed homes in the state. It can be a rich source of slime and filth for his policy and clean up some homes that the Dimocrats destroyed with their housing agenda. Two problems solved!!Obama rocks!! In one speech, he solves both our energy and housing problems!! Five more years!!
***
HI TBEAR–#116. I remember seeing a film clip from the early 1900′s showing a small bus that ran on a biomass or wood / straw fuel source (camphor?). It probably sat 12 people, and it had a rear platform with a steam or combustible gas generator on it. A pipe ran from the rear to the engine compartment. It had a smoke trail from a vertical chimney stack at the back end.
***
At least this was a running vehicle that actually moved people at 20 or 30 miles per hour. And as long as Comrade Obama is looking for new cutting edge technology–this may be the salvation of our country in its Messiah induced energy crisis.
***
He’s already discovered harnessing sun and wind power, and is advancing bravely on algae power. Soon He can do a “hard pivot” and have Gubmint Motors develop their latest taxpayer designed and subsidized Chevvy Camphora. Still better than a bicycle. Although His Environmental (greenie) Protection Agency and His Department of (little and expensive) Energy will have to issue waivers on the pollution.
***
It’s a brilliant plan. Not only is the concept C**P–it can burn and run on C**P also! Just like Comrade Obama and His Regime does.
***
John Bibb
***
FINALLY! A solar energy subsidy success story! Now if we can persuade the 125 who lost their jobs to give up and not even bother to look for another job, we can look forward to an even lower unemployment rate.
Ah, But then they will become the pioneers in providing the resource for our very own Soylent Green Project.
It is already a fuel source in third world countries that have little or no inexpensive alternatives available.
No doubt in the plans of our elitist masters since they fully intend to take the USA down the path to 3rd world status.
I found this interesting about the 08 Obama Campaign and “Big Oil.”
Exxon donated $117,946 to Obama and $73,326 to McCain. Chevron $77,875 to Obama and $61,313 to McCain. BP $71,051 to Obama and $36,649 to McCain.
Not surprising. Like every major corporation and industry, “Big Oil” plays both sides politically so to win the attention of and hope to have some influence in policy and legislation with the eventual winner.
I believe “Big Oil” knows its being played whenever the dems publically attack it while at the same time profiting from “Big Oil” political campaign contributions. It’s way past time for “Big Oil” not to realize it will most certainly be thrown under the bus by the same dems to whom it pays tribute.
It’s just a cynical political game.
“Big Oil” is invested to the gills in “Cap and Trade”. BP even makes “beyond petroleum” their new catch phrase. ExxonMobil is heavily invested in wind farms here in CA.
If anyone is being played, it is us. We buy into the phony kabuki and get played every time someone says “drill baby drill” to get us worked up.
Did you know that when Republicans sign the “conservative” Grover Norquist “no new taxes” taxpayer protection pledge they are pledging not to eliminate subsidies to things like ethanol? Eliminating subsidies (tax breaks) is considered a tax increase.
We are ALL being played. The companies and politicians know exactly what they are doing. As citizens, we need to show more respect for facts and truth and stop allowing ourselves into being cowed into holding our noses to vote for one set of crooks over another.
Top 10 Obama Contributers for 2012 are:
Microsoft, DLA Piper (international law firm), Google, Harvard, University of CA, Morgan and Morgan, Comcast, Skadden, Arps, et al (international law firm), Sidney Austin LLP, Time Warner. Eight of the top 20 are law firms.
When BHO first mentioned this MORONIC retort to high fuel prices, and KRAUTHAMMER gave his tongue in cheek comments om FNC, my first thought was to the scene from the GRADUATE, arm around shoulder, and the beautiful comment “ONE WORD, PLASTICS”… Amazing, how great minds do think alike!!! NYUK, NYUK, NYUK!!!
The irony of what the entrenched and corrupt one-party establishment is doing with energy is that they are not only making a mess of traditional and highly efficient energy technologies, they are destroying any hope of their preferred alternatives ever evolving into being viable.
I can SHOW people examples right here in CA where wind and solar make sense. They are free market experiments that work without government subsidies. The problem is that they don’t scale up and are not a viable alternative to oil, nuclear and coal today. But they work and should be allowed to evolve. The government is destroying these projects because of their preferring in using taxpayer money to allow cronies to cash out of their bad investments in companies promising immediate large scale solutions.
Regardless of how much we drill, the petroleum fuels model is going to fail in the next 30-50 years. Ten percent of the world’s population brought the “cheap and abundant” energy advantages to the point of “peak oil” even before globalization of that model pushed it over the edge.
In the short term, America needs to become more self-sufficient and wean itself from the global forces since we are still energy rich. But we need to adopt an “all of the above” strategy using our oil, shale, coal and natural gas reserves to buy us the 30-50 years to come up with a real solution. That is just not happening. We can’t even get an intelligent discussion going about this problem.
If we don’t find a way to lose our own hubris as citizens entitled to endless prosperity without personal sacrifice, we are doomed. Not ten years from now but very soon. Like 2013 for instance. Obama vs Rombama. Same difference.
Largest contributer to Nancy Pelosi so far in 2012: Occidental Petroleum.
I don’t know if you read “Throw Them All Out” but Pelosi is the biggest crony beneficiary in the House by far. Odd how the GOP allowed small-time crook Bachus to be the scape goat for the insider trading problem. Probably payback for going after Maxine Waters as the scape goat last year. It’s the GOP’s turn to provide a scape goat. After all, Boehner and Hastert were much bigger crooks.
The “There but for the grace of God go I” problem. Foxes guarding the hen house.
BTW, Bachus should resign and be prosecuted to get him out of the way and lay the foundation for going after the big crooks. Yeah, that’ll happen.
Occidental Petroleum has been a shady and corrupt company since its inception by Soviet BFF Armand Hammer. The George Soros/Warren Buffet of his long era. Even helped fund the Bolshevik revolution and personal friend of Lenin.
That’s all that it is good for.
Watched a documentary on The History Channel this morning about the killing of Pablo Escobar in Columbia in December 1993. Escobar offered government officials and others a deal: take a bribe or take a bullet. I suspect Chicago on the Potomac Barky has offered these folks a variation of that deal: take a bribe, report only good things about me or face prosecution. In a second term, the deal may come closer to that of Escobar’s.
Isn’t algae one of those organic things that eventually becomes oil when it is pressed under extensive pressure??
If poison ivy, oak or sumac were discovered to be a potential replacement for oil, these dimbulbs would be out there pulling up as much of that as they could find. That would be almost worth paying for to watch.
Legend has it that as the pioneers went west into the plains states, they burned buffalo chips for heat. The smell, not so great. Freezing to death, even less great.
Like they are going to get you or me to write the thousands of new rules they are issuing?
Prove it.
Even if the oil reserves disappear in 30 to 50 years… Titan, my lad. TITAN. A moon as big as ours, covered dripping in petrochemicals.
Yeah. I recall Eisenhower’s warning about the increasing power of the military-industrial complex. It’s grown to be the multinational-industrial complex, buying governments worldwide.
Did everybody drink the blankety-blank Kool-aide today??
Get this through your thick skull (and everyone ELSE who promotes this leftist nonsense!)…
I WILL NOT SACRIFICE.
The goal is prosperity. How do you achieve prosperity by sacrifice, unless you’re a member of an ancient cult that believed murdering innocent virgins will induce the rain gods to make your crops grow…
No personal sacrifice! Especially as it’s not needed. Why do we need to sacrifice? I’m not spending the country into oblivion. We’re not running out of fuel sources. In fact, if we can get the gov’t off our backs, to stop the sacrificing we already do to the gods known as “IRS” and “EPA”, our prosperity would multiply.
Even if there were a real danger of running out of petrochemical fuels, there’s always steam. If I’m going to take a step backward, steam is as far as I go. Stop building Volts and start building Stanley Steamers. Give me something that will run on diesel, alcohol, sawdust, freeze-dried environmentalist…
The sky is not falling, the gods are not angry, we don’t need sacrifice.
Ya know, that was the dire warning we were being given back in the 70′s. I don’t believe there is a finite supply of petroleum.
Government policy, not the finite supply of oil, most often is the real threat to future energy supplies.
Someone said the magic woid of the day: “renewable”.
IF oil is produced from dead dinosaurs, it’s renewable. If it’s from a process deep in the Earth’s crust, it’s renewable.
Coal, being made up of dead plant matter, is renewable.
Wind isn’t renewable, it’s merely eternal.
Solar is not renewable. It is not possible to restart a sun that has died. At least not with Green technology.
Nuclear is technically not renewable. While the process of using nuclear reactions to heat water does great more radioactive material, and said material can be used in thermoelectric generators, it’s ultimately not efficient and in the long term even the radioactive materials created in the original reactor will cool.
But, the left is unable to think beyond their own lifetimes, so since the renewal period for some of these energy sources is longer than their lifetimes (or more accurately, their attention spa… squirrel!), they refuse to acknowledge that “fossil fuels” are indeed renewable.
Literal Green energy?
It’s not even completely reliable, consistent nor efficient.
Thankfully the Execs got big raises. I was afraid my tax money was being wasted. Their biggest ( and probably only) customer ran out of their tax subsidy and won’t be making electric cars after all. Thank you Obama for investing my money so wisely.
I thought the reason solar energy companies in the US were failing was because the market was being suppressed by Chinese (read inferior) product being low-balled on the world market. Once again, the US gets fleeced by China–they have to be laughing at us.