The petroleum fix

Iraq’s sudden disruption of a small fraction of U.S. oil demand has created a scenario that this country has seen twice before, in 1973 and 1979, and which it will see again unless America institutionalizes changes in the relationship between its people and energy.

The basic energy facts that this country was exposed to during the Arab embargo and the Iranian crisis hold true today. The litany of complaints about profligacy and lack of sustained interest in conservation are being trotted out again. New Englanders will go back to their woodburners. Trees will be transformed into firewood. Desperate people will bank tired, cracked metal stoves. There will be fires and tragedy.

The most fundamental fact is that Americans use far too much energy on a per capita basis than is necessary to maintain a decent standard of living. Japan, West Germany and France, international models of success through efficiency and coordination, each can produce a dollar of gross national product with less than half as much energy as the U.S. This gives their products an inherent price advantage in the global marketplace, and if any of these countries had substantial reserves of coal or oil, as does the United States, their efficiency would insulate them from the consequences of political turmoil in the Persian Gulf.

Unfortunately for them, none has much in the way of indigenous energy supplies, which explains two things. One, is their admirable national rate of energy consumption and the other is their reliance on nuclear power. Japan generates 30 percent of its electricity with nuclear plants. France leads its region with approximately 70 percent nuclear generated power. Although New England is one of three sections of the United states (all along the East Coast), that account for 80 percent of the total oil displaced by nuclear power in the U.S., the nation as a whole derives just 18 percent of its electrical energy from nuclear plants, one of the lowest percentages in the industrialized world.

Americans, meanwhile, are paying one-half or one-third of what the rest of the civilized world pays for gasoline. One local traveler who recently visited Scandanavia reported that it cost him $120 for a fill-up. But blessed with respectable national petroleum reserves, and a steady demand for product, the U.S. has been able to coast for most of this century without paying just value for this irreplacable fuel. Saddam Hussein has created a crisis by reminding the U.S. of what petroleum energy is worth, in blood and money.

If Americans do not want to be dragged again into a shooting war over petroleum, they will have to do three things that run against the national grain:

Plan, conserve and recycle.

The domestic solid waste problem is just one assault on the U.S. disposable society. Structural changes must take place in the processes that design, package and quickly render products obsolete. Systems that conserve landfill space also conserve water and energy.

Fuel-efficiency standards, which helped rescue Detroit 15 years ago, should be revived. Although the U.S. auto industry is in far better shape today than it was in the 1970s, the fleet efficiency of U.S. cars has dropped 1 mpg in the past two years (a response to cheaper gasoline).

Invest in research and development of alternative and renewable energy systems.

Sen. George Mitchell wondered in Bangor recently why the United States has not produced an economical electric automobile. One possible answer: the federal government this year will spend approximately $194 million on all energy efficiency, research and development projects. That money would support the forces now in the Persian Gulf for one week. It’s time to dramatically increase that investment as a nation, and to encourage private sector investment in R&D.

Accept reasonable risks and tradeoffs. Just as it would be an absurd response for this country now to panic and charge into the fragile environment of the Arctic Wildlife Refuge to drill for the comparative dribble of oil that might be there, it is unacceptable for this society to continue to be held hostage to progress by the minority of people who want a world totally without risk. As the Persian Gulf illustrates, the risks are everywhere. Take your pick.

The United States has abundant supplies of coal that can be cleanly burned. Nuclear technology has been refined in the more than 12 years since anyone last applied for a license to build a plant. Dams still offer the cleanest form of renewable energy. All offer promise. All involve trade-offs.

This society is addicted to petroleum. Rummaging frantically through the Arctic for another, temporary fix is no answer. That’s still addiction, leaving this country easy prey for the next Middle East pusher who decides to up the price.

Recovery demands withdrawal through permanent changes in the national lifestyle and attitude. This country started down that road once. Like any addict who falls off the wagon, but picks himself up and refuses to give up, it must try again.