LAST SUMMER when gas reached record prices, it became obvious that putting our country’s energy future in the hands of foreign oil cartels was not very intelligent.
Our country should have learned its lesson from the oil crisis in the ’70s to make the long-term changes to have our country be energy independent. But we didn’t.
Interest in energy independence only comes when prices are high. Now that prices have dropped once again, the urgency has lessened. But no matter what the price of oil is, our country needs to be committed to a long-term plan to reduce our dependence on foreign nations providing our energy.
In the coming year, auto dealers will be rolling out plug-in hybrid cars. The cars will run 40 miles on electricity from one charge and then run on gasoline.
The question everyone should be asking is where the batteries for these cars will be built and who will build them. The batteries will power our next generation automobiles.
Unfortunately, America has little production capacity to build storage batteries any more. There are some small start-up companies in America hoping to build batteries, but chances are they would struggle to meet the huge, growing demand.
The Wall Street Journal predicts that most automakers will turn to Japanese companies like Sanyo and Panasonic to build batteries for the new hybrids. Those companies could dominate the industry.
It is sad to see our country developing new vehicles and having to rely on foreign companies to power them. Can we learn nothing from our past?
Free enterprise has fueled America, but perhaps the government needs to provide direction and assistance to get our country pointed in the right direction.
As automakers roll out new cars powered by a new technology, it would make sense to have the components of that technology built in America by American companies.
dale011 (anonymous) says...
Chris I agree with "make it in the USA" but the production of batteries has some significant health, safety and environmental issues that tag along. Heavy metals never go away, they just make folks sick, so if we can get that piece done, make them here.
January 7, 2009 at 5:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dalelinn (Dale Linn) says...
Mr. Walker made a very good point about manufacturing in America, but I question the wisdom in trusting our government. Let's remember that it was our government that gave tax incentives for our manufacturing to move out of our country. The very people that have put us into the depression that we are going into are the very people that are doing everything they can to make sure we are going to be in it for a very long time. They can't see any profit for them in encouraging our manufacturing to come back.
January 7, 2009 at 9:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )