The Prices of Gasoline

 

The Prices of Gasoline

By Patrick Fero

What’s going on here? Gas prices are all over the map and the only thing they have in common is that they’re all going up. It’s crazy!

The administration insists none of this is their fault. I don’t believe it. At least some of it is. Restricting oil companies from drilling where necessary and delaying key pipeline projects have strained domestic supply. Compounding this, recent blockades in the Strait of Hormuz have rattled global markets, while the massive power demands from skyrocketing Artificial Intelligence infrastructure are complicating the broader energy usage side.

Not only that but the aggressive pursuit of renewable energy sources has led to both intended and unintended consequences. Diverting corn for ethanol contributed to a worldwide shortage, spiking the price of corn and every product that relies on it. Many view the heavy emphasis on biofuels as a taxpayer-subsidized scam that results in poorer gas mileage and potential engine corrosion down the road. Meanwhile, investments in wind energy have been cut back significantly due to the vagaries of wind availability, battery storage limitations, and high bird mortality rates.

Furthermore, the public is finally realizing a glaring irony regarding Electric Vehicles (EVs): the electricity they use must still come from the existing grid, which heavily relies on fossil fuels like coal. Additionally, significant amounts of carbon are burned just to manufacture these "green" energy components. While solar energy is closer to being viable, it still faces strict geographic and atmospheric limits.

This energy crunch directly impacts daily American life. The vast majority of gasoline in the U.S. is consumed by the transportation sector, with light-duty vehicles accounting for over 90% of that consumption. Beyond standard cars, gasoline powers motorcycles, boats, and aviation, and remains a staple for property maintenance, agriculture, construction, and portable generators. Interestingly, gasoline itself is not the raw ingredient for plastics, synthetic fabrics, or chemicals; those are made from other refined petrochemical feedstocks like naphtha, ethane, and propane.

There is no question that renewable energy is in our best long-term interest, but we must pursue this goal realistically. It cannot—and should not—be forced beyond the limits of current technology. In the meantime, we should maximize the safe and efficient use of our abundant fossil fuels. After all, without them, we won't even have the energy required to build the solar panels, wind turbines, or whatever next-generation technologies we have yet to discover.