If OPEC were obsolete?

[Fu_Bag]

What do you guys think would happen if the only things using/requiring fossil fuels were heavy machinery? If a cheap, or free, clean, environmently friendly, easily renewable energy source was used for public and private transportation, what would happen to the oil producing countries? How would this affect the world?

If all OPEC countries were to become obsolete overnight, would it cause more harm than good?

Personally, I think that there's too much profit and power going to too many people for this ever to occur. If free energy technology could power your home and transportation, do you think anyone would ever actually implement it or support its use?

I doubt any politician, whether or not they claim to be an environmental superhero, would ever do something to empower people more than government so there's no point in saying "my political party is better than yours". Free energy means free people. Think how much money you'd save every month if it cost nothing to power your home and transportation. Think how much you'd save on food if the cost to transport it to your local grocery store was minimal.

Think how little it'd cost to travel or to ship things. I can't imagine they'd be able to justify raising the cost of a stamp again soon.

What if all of these benefits came with zero environmental emissions?

It's hard to believe that we can put a man on the Moon but can't even implement this type of energy (for the old timers out there..).

 

[dubljay]

If this were to happen overnight? There would be a tremendous market crash. Many economies, our own to a large extent, would be hit very hard at this loss.

The state and federal taxes paid on gas to fill your car go towards road maintence and what not.

While I believe there is no real reason for us to be so dependent upon fossil fuels, this is part of the reason. How many Americans would agree to a substantial tax increase to make up for the loss, just on the federal level, not to mention the state level. California already went ape over the increase in vehicle registration costs... we all remember the recall election. Where would the money be made up?


The repercussions of having 'free' energy would be far and wide.

Don't mistake me for being against alternative energies, but the situation is far more complex and involved than it appears at first glance.