Lawson Tidwell- Reporter
In 2022, the U.S. produced a combined total of 3.1 billion gallons of renewable biodiesel, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
While an impressive number, this cannot quite challenge the staggering amount of gasoline the U.S. consumes per year. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that in 2022 alone, Americans used around 135 billion gallons of gasoline.This statistic speaks to a greater call across the United States for renewable energy, particularly as a replacement for non-renewable oil, gas, and diesel fuel.
Jose de la Cruz, a student in Pittsburgh, PA, said “I think it’s awesome, fossil fuels aren’t exactly ideal for powering our country in the future.”
Liam White, an apprentice welder in Pleasant View, Tennessee, said “That’s a lot of diesel, makes me feel a lot better about the future.”
Cruz’s concerns about fossil fuels are among a growing voice of U.S. citizens calling for renewable energy initiatives. FairPlanet, a global non-profit organization focused on human rights and sustainable development initiatives, projects that we will deplete our reserves of fossil fuels in only 47 years.
With this in mind, worries have developed among the population of the U.S. and other countries as to how to acquire enough fuel to sustain its current usage. Only recently have these concerns begun to be addressed, however.
Since 1992, the number of fuel stations carrying biodiesel has grown to 1,700. The number of stations carrying E85, a fuel composed of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, rose from two to 4,495.
The green initiatives behind this increased production are still in development, and remain somewhat expensive. Last year Ethanol was priced at $3.05 per gallon, while gasoline averaged $2.98 per gallon. It is necessary to mention, despite yearly fluctuations, the overall trend for gasoline is rising prices. This price hiking will become more extreme as stockpiles deplete, increasing resource scarcity exponentially over time.
Despite the increased cost, these alternative fuels are necessary for preparing the U.S. for when non-renewable resources deplete. An increase in ethanol and biodiesel production will be necessary for the U.S. to continue to sustain itself.
There is still a long road ahead for alternative fuels, but the numbers are promising. With U.S. ethanol and biodiesel production on the rise, as well as other countries turning to nuclear, solar and wind power, renewable energy may be more viable than previously anticipated.
