Se The Economist:
http://www.economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10984681
Citat:
Diesel’s second coming
Apr 4th 2008
From Economist.com
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In Europe, where petrol costs around $7 per gallon, lower taxes on diesel fuel—along with better mileage—have encouraged motorists to ditch their gas guzzlers for diesel sippers. Diesels now account for half of all new cars bought in Europe, and more than 30% of all cars on the road. In America, fewer than 3% of passenger vehicles are diesel powered.
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Fact is, there’s a global shortage of the stuff. That’s why, shorn of tax breaks, diesel costs so much more than petrol. Over the past year, the average price of diesel in America has risen by 117%—twice as fast as petrol. While both carry the same taxes in America, diesel now costs 60 to 70 cents a gallon more than regular gas.
With spring in the air, factories, office, stores and homes in the chillier northern half of America will have started to turn down their oil-fired heating systems. Meanwhile, farmers and truckers (big users both of diesel fuel) are in the midst of their slackest season of the year. Couple that with an economy that’s lurching towards recession, and you would be excused for thinking the price of diesel—which comes from the same part of the barrel as heating oil—would now be falling.
Actually, if anything, it’s continuing to rise. That’s because of the burgeoning demand from Europe, China and India.
It doesn’t help that the catalytic crackers used by oil refineries in America are optimised to produce as much petrol as possible—typically about 50% of every barrel. Diesel accounts for only 15% of the rest, with the balance used to produce heating oil, jet fuel, heavy fuel, liquid petroleum gas, asphalt and other products.
Refineries in Europe and elsewhere tend to use hydrocrackers that produce 25% petrol and 25% diesel. They would like to produce more diesel than they currently do, but that would mean producing even more petrol than they need. At present, they export their surplus to America.
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Meanwhile, back at the pump in America, diesel currently costs 20% more per gallon than regular petrol. When that premium reaches 35%, the difference in fuel efficiency will equal the difference in price—and there will be no economic reason to make the switch. Some reckon that day is only a few years away.
Det känns lite vågat att köpa dieselbil med tanke på bränslebristen.
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