Alternatively fueled cars should rise, not gas prices

Upon hearing about the fire at the Richmond oil refinery in August 2012, there was a collective feeling of loss and grief among many Californians. Looking beyond the damage to the refinery and injured workers that came along with it, however, they knew what was coming next: the inevitable increase in gas prices.

The prolonged closure of the refinery, which is owned by Chevron, in addition to the nearly $1 million it was required to pay to the state for safety violations, led the average gas price in California to rise 1.6 cents three nights after the fire.

Nowadays in California, the average price for one gallon of regular gas is $4.212, according to California Energy Commission. Adjusted for inflation, these numbers stand in stark contrast to those for 1970, when the average gas price in California was $0.342; 1980, when it was $1.228; 1990, when it was $1.090; and 2000, when it was $1.663. Even in 2010, the average price for a gallon of gas in California was $3.091, over a dollar lower than the prices today.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Association, the  main reasons for the recent increase in gas prices include refinery outages and increased crude oil prices.

The less obvious cause, however, is the lack of interest among Americans in alternative sources of fuel. Instead of moaning over paying such exorbitant prices in order to drive anywhere, people should focus on making the switch from gas-guzzling beasts to cars that use different types of fuel.

Ethanol, biodiesel, propane and hydrogen are just a few of the possible fuels that have begun to make their way into laboratories, engines and vehicles. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), these fuels are advantageous because they are all either created in the U.S. or obtained from renewable sources.

Producing fuels domestically decreases dependence on expensive oil from other countries, and all of the aforementioned fuels generate less pollutants or greenhouse gases than regular gas or diesel.

Not only do these fuels have a lasting impact on the environment, but owners of cars that use them receive tax credits from the government to promote going green. Drivers of alternative fuel vehicles — along with drivers of diesels, hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles — get these tax incentives, which can be anything from $3,400 to $7,500.

According to the EPA, vehicles which get 30 mpg can save up to $938 per year, as compared to those which get only 20 mpg. These savings far outweigh any concerns people might have over the high asking prices for these energy efficient cars.

Electric vehicles like the Nissan Leaf SV, which needs less than $700 per year in fuel, and hybrids like the Lexus RX 450h, which gets 32 mpg, are already on the rise in Saratoga. But there is always room for growth, and when looking for a new car, more people should consider these types of cars, which come with various benefits.

People sometimes smirks when they see a VW with a sticker declaring its use of french fry oil as a source of fuel, but if more people were to consider vehicles like this as real modes of transportation, gas would be rendered insignificant, and rising gas prices would cease to be an issue.

The EPA estimates that half of the oil in this country is imported; reducing demand in the U.S. for imported oil would cause the cost of gas to decrease, so that even those few who would still rely on regular gas to get around would be satisfied.

The next time somebody grumbles about paying over $4 for a gallon of gas, just think about this: Instead, that person could be driving around a car running solely on fermented and distilled starch crops. Who knew corn could be so much more than something good for popping?