It sounds like we could improve a lot producing our own engergy if we take advantage of wind and solar energy, as well as other alternatives.  Good article, information.

we need to tap our own oil we  have a ton of it.

Thanks for the info.

I doubt that wind and solar power can solve the energy crisis although they are very appealing from a "green" perspective.  I believe a more realistic source is nuclear.  If we experience a paradigm shift towards electricity from oil for transportation (electric cars, electric trains, etc) then we will need more a reliable source of power to generate the amount of electricity needed to meet this new level of demand.  Of course, advances in storage technologies (batteries) will improve the efficiency and utility of these forms of transportation.  Unfortunately, our power grid will also need a major upgrade moving forward.  Just imagine how much space would be required using solar panels or windmills to generate the equivalent amount of power from a nuclear power plant.

I agree!

michael keenan:

we need to tap our own oil we  have a ton of it.

Even if we drill oil in ANWR and off the coast, there is no gurantee that the oil will come to the US because the work will be done by companies such as Exxon Mobile, who will sell the oil to the highest bidder. The only way to ensure that oil came to us is a National Oil agency, and that will never happen. We need to take advantage of every option right now. The world will run out of oil in less than 40 years (http://resources.schoolscience.co.uk/ExxonMobil/knowl/2/2index.htm?last.html) Yes, new oil sources may be discovered but it will only prolong the enevitable. Also, do we even know the implications of removing all the worlds oil from the ground? Maybe it acts as some important part of the worlds core and the removal of all the oil will cause the temperature of the world to increase because there is not a blanket of oil to insulate the core of the world. This is merely a crazy speculation, but you get my point.