Every day the United States imports 13.15 million barrels of oil. The oil comes from a wide array of nations including Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Out of the 11 members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), nine have a notable history of human rights’ abuses, and have a history of political instability. OPEC itself as an international force has a history of manipulation in international politics, most notably during the oil embargo that shocked the international economy in 1973. As long as the U.S. and other highly industrial nations remain dependent on oil, this cartel made up of a handful of wealthy nations will hold major power on the international scale. However, an alternative exists: ethanol, a fuel that is already becoming popular in the U.S. and that is more efficient and economically sound than petroleum.

The ethanol industry is already active within the U.S. The U.S. produced 431 million liters of ethanol in 2006 and consumed 3,573 liters. Most cars can run on “blends” of ethanol and gas, which are marketed throughout the country. Ethanol’s popularity is rising steadily, mostly because of its appealing combination of social marketability (reducing our dependence on foreign oil) and practicality (unlike many other alternative fuels, it is already widely used). In fact, the ethanol industry is beginning to compete with the petroleum industry.

Other nations have already proved that ethanol is a viable source of fuel. Brazil, for example, currently fulfills 20 percent of its energy needs with ethanol, producing 16.4 billion liters each year. Ethanol’s low price allowed it to quickly gain popularity in Brazil; it costs about $1 per liter to produce, whereas gasoline costs $1.50 per liter. These differences add up in a competitive market where gasoline prices are rising, encouraging consumers to make the switch. The emergence of FlexFuel cars (cars that can run on gasoline or ethanol) have also driven up demand for ethanol in other countries. In Brazil, 70 percent of cars are FlexFuel, making the transition to ethanol simple. Environmental legislation also aided the fuel’s advocates, encouraging it to flourish in Brazil. Other nations have also followed suit by integrating ethanol. Spain, France, Poland, Finland, the United Kingdom and Austria have all begun consuming ethanol at rapidly increasing rates. The U.S. could easily follow these nations’ example. Ethanol is not just a politically advantageous source of energy that other countries are already embracing. Ethanol also is much more efficient than gasoline. Ethanol can produce 30 percent more energy than it takes to refine, according to an MIT study.

Ethanol would also have economic benefits, creating an estimated 154,000 thousand new jobs in the U.S., according to the Renewable Fuels Association, in fields from agriculture to marketing, management and the many other corporate jobs that come with a growing industry.

Legislation that rewards consumers and companies for integrating ethanol into the fuel economy would be necessary to quicken the U.S.’s transition to this alternate source fuel. Furthermore, Congress could pass laws that mandate that a minimum percentage of U.S. fuel come from ethanol.

In an age of political tension with the Middle East, we must not become dependent on OPEC to provide us with petroleum. Although ethanol may not be in sufficient supply to replace oil, ethanol is still the best immediate step in an ongoing effort to begin switching to wind, solar and other renewable energies.