At current consumption that's 18 months worth of U.S. oil. He said it could mean lower prices at the pump, up to 50 or 60 cents a gallon. But oil trapped beneath the frozen Arctic wilderness wouldn't begin to flow for ten years, and wouldn't reach peak production for decades. Cleaner fuel supported by Gore, like wind power or solar projects, will take time too. Right now renewables like wind power account for less than three-tenths of a percent of our energy.
New technology is needed to make renewables more affordable.
But here's something that could make a difference. Economist Brown says if we stop driving our gas guzzling SUV's or make them as efficient as most cars we would save more oil than the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would ever supply. But that's a sacrifice many drivers wouldn't make. No, I wouldn't. And even that is limited.