The Power and Interest Report (PINR), an independent organization that provides conflict analysis services, has published a new paper analyzing the rising cost of oil and efforts to free the United States from relying on foreign oil sources. The paper, authored by Michael Piskur, is titled ‘Record Oil Prices and Washington’s Desire for Energy Independence’ and is available on the PINR web site. The recent rises in oil prices clearly demonstrate the frequency of fluctuations in the costs of energy resources, PINR says, giving nations sufficient cause to explore non-traditional means for energy supplies. In the United States, the paper reports, the popular trend is toward unconventional fossil fuels and ethanol, with PINR noting that the ethanol industry in the United States will increase production by 40 percent this year over last year’s figures. The use of ethanol to free the United States from dependence on foreign oil is increasingly gaining popularity, and PINR says the U.S. government has been working with Brazil to further ethanol research and development efforts and to codify rules and regulations for ethanol production. The paper says Brazil’s goal is to be the supplier of 75 percent of global ethanol by 2012. Brazil […]