Can Illinois replace the Middle East?

So while we grumble about paying $3.00 for a gallon of gasoline, we are failing to notice that the silver lining behind all this is that someday we may become energy independent because of the high price of oil. This will not happen overnight but these next few years will be watershed years as America finally sheds its reliance on Middle East oil and in the process realigns the world power base. Other countries will also follow our lead in pursuing alternative energy sources which means that someday the oil rich Middle East countries can no longer play the oil wild card in international relations.

Another reason for optimism is that our fair State of Illinois will very likely be a major player in the development of alternative energy sources. Already wind farms are sprouting up all over the place. In addition to the windfarms near Rochelle, production has started on a wind farm near Saybrook and one will be started next spring just 1/2 mile down the road from where I live. I have heard rumors that there is another windfarm planned northwest of Minonk.

While anyone who lives in Illinois knows that there is plenty of wind here to support a windfarm, the really big advantage that Illinois has in the development of alternative energy sources is corn and coal. Corn is used for the production of ethanol and ethanol plants are being built all over the state. Being the number 2 producer of corn (behind Iowa), Illinois will be a leader in the production of ethanol.

Growing crops for use in energy production should provide higher and more stable prices for farmers since the product will be consumed at home and will not have to compete in the world food market.

Illinois has one of the highest reserves of coal in the nation which enables it to take advantage of the resurgence of coal as a valuable resource in the production of energy. One ton of coal can produce 2 barrels (42 gallons) of diesel oil or gasoline. Coal-to-liquid technology is competitive at $35-40 per barrel of oil. Through a process called liquefaction, coal can be transformed into zero sulfur liquid fuels that are cleaner than today's fuels. Another use for coal is to create hydrogen for powering fuels cells for transportation. The use of hydrogen cells for generating electricty to run our cars is much more efficient than burning hydrogen and doesn't create pollution.

Because of Illinois' central location and high coal reserves, 2 Illinois cities, Mattoon and Tuscola, are among the four finalist in the selection of a location for the FutureGen plant. This plant will be the world's first zero emissions power plant that will product electricity and hydrogen from coal while capturing and storing carbon dioxide. The selection of the plant will be in 2007 and the plant is planned to be online by 2012. There is a good chance that Illinois will be selected as the location.

In the future, we will be running our cars on hydrogen cells and stopping at hydrogen stations to replenish the cells. In addition to windfarms, many homes will have windmills to generate their own power. The growing of grasses and other energy convertible crops will increase in importance relative to corn and soybeans. Pollution will diminish as zero emision power plants come on board and cars no longer burn fossil fuels. The United States will become energy independent and Illinois will replace the Middle East as the nation's leading supplier of energy. Let's hope that the President doesn't send in troops to overthrow our governor and try to democratize Illinois .