Computer Assignment: Fossil Fuels and Green Energy
Case Study
Fossil Fuels and Green Energy: An article entitled, "The Return of Fossil Fuels" in the Smart Money (August 2012), a publication of the Wall Street Journal presents some interesting facts about different sources of energy including the oil, natural gas, and the green energy. The report states the impact of enormous new oil and gas discoveries in America and how they are affecting the energy consumption and uses.
The report adds how the oil drillers and related equipment manufacturers are profiting from big new oil finds. In recent years the dependence on foreign oil has decreased in the U.S. - from 57% in 2008 to 42% in 2012. Americans are also drilling more oil - increasing the oil production from 5.0 million barrels per day in 2008 to 6.3 million barrels per day in 2012. This has led to a significant increase in the number of oil rigs in operation in the U.S. -from 391 in 2008 to 1329 in 2012. Due to increasing demand from the developing world, oil prices have risen several folds in the past 20 years. But, the infusion of new resources in horizontal drilling techniques have led to new finds and making the drilling more attractive and profitable.
Table 2CS.6 below shows the history of oil price in dollars per barrel from 1982 to 2016. The table shows the average price for the year. The data can be found in the data file Chapter2CaseData. The columns containing the data are labeled Year and Average Oil Price ($/barrel).
Table 2CS.6: Average Oil Price ($/barrel) : 1982 - 2012
|
Year
|
1982
|
1983
|
1984
|
1885
|
1986
|
1987
|
1988
|
1989
|
1990
|
|
Av. Price ($)
|
31.55
|
29.00
|
27.50
|
26.50
|
19.64
|
17.50
|
14.87
|
18.33
|
23.19
|
|
Year
|
1991
|
1992
|
1993
|
1994
|
1995
|
1996
|
1997
|
1998
|
1999
|
|
Av. Price ($)
|
20.19
|
19.25
|
16.74
|
15.66
|
16.75
|
20.46
|
18.97
|
11.91
|
16.55
|
|
Year
|
2000
|
2001
|
2002
|
2003
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
2007
|
2008
|
|
Av. Price ($)
|
27.40
|
23.00
|
22.81
|
27.69
|
37.41
|
50.04
|
58.30
|
64.20
|
91.48
|
|
Year
|
2009
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
|
Av. Price ($)
|
53.56
|
71.21
|
87.48
|
93.61
|
99.84
|
53.98
|
37.20
|
44.21
|
*The values for 2013 to 2016 are for the end of the year.The above data is provide in Assignment Data (Excel file). Open the data file. Refer to the data from the oil industry to perform the following analysis
1. Prepare a bar chart of the data in Table 2CS.6 to show the average yearly oil price from 1982 to 2016. Expand the table below as needed to fit your chart.
2. Construct an appropriate chart of the average yearly oil price that will show a trend or a pattern in the price over the years. Calculate the percent increase/decrease in the average oil price in the past 20 years and in the past 10 years.
If you don't remember how to calculate the percent increase or decrease, examples are provided at the end of this assignment..
Chart showing the trend or pattern
Percent increase/decrease (2006 - 2016) Percent increase/decrease (1996 - 2016)
3. Refer to the data about the oil production and number of oil rigs from 2008 to 2012 (second paragraph of page 1) and determine the percent increase in U.S. oil production in barrels per day and also the number of oil rigs.
Percent increase in U.S. oil production in barrels per day and also the number of oil rigs
Recent Trends and Data about Natural Gas and Green Energy
The report about the natural gas states that the recent discoveries have boosted the U.S. gas reserves, and increased the production of natural gas - from 1.45 trillion cubic feet per month in 1986 to 2.53 trillion cubic feet in 2012. Natural gas is still the least expensive means of heating homes. Table 2CS.7 shows the average cost of heating a home for winter 2010-11.
Table 2CS.7: Average Cost of Heating a Home
|
Energy Source
|
Cost ($)
|
|
Natural Gas
|
724
|
|
Heating Oil
|
2,298
|
|
Electricity
|
957
|
The use of green products like solar panels and hybrid cars are in increase. Since 2007, Americans have bought 1.6 million hybrid cars. These cars are still a very small percentage compared to the gas. The future outlook for the hybrid and diesel is projected to remain small compared to gas powered cars. One of the reasons why the alternative fuel cars haven't taken off is the lack of filling stations for these cars.
Table 2CS.8 provides the current and future market share of hybrid cars and the cars fueled with other sources of energy. Table 2CS.9 provides the number of fueling stations for different fuels.
Table 2CS.8: Current and Projected Market Share
|
Cars
|
2012 (% of Total)
|
2020 (% of Total
|
|
Electric
|
0.1%
|
1%
|
|
Hybrid
|
15%
|
10%
|
|
Diesel
|
3.5%
|
8.2%
|
|
Flex (E85)
|
2.9%
|
7.5%
|
|
Gas
|
78.4%
|
73.3%
|
Table 2CS.9: Number of Fueling Stations
|
Type of Fuel
|
Number
|
|
Ethanol-fueled Cars
|
2499
|
|
Electric Cars
|
10,286
|
|
Natural Gas Vehicle
|
1014
|
|
Gasoline-powered Cars
|
160,000
|
Oil Consumption: The United States consumes approximately 19.5 - 22 million barrels of oil per day. The data in Table 2CS.10 shows the percent breakdown of the total consumption in different categories.
Table 2CS.10: Consumption of Oil - Different Categories
|
Category of Consumption
|
Approximate Percentage
|
|
Transportation and Highway
|
57%
|
|
Uses for home, industry, and businesses
|
18.5%
|
|
Electric utilities
|
2.0%
|
|
Plastics and fertilizers
|
10.0%
|
|
Jet fuel
|
8.5%
|
|
Railroad, boat, and construction equipment
|
4.0%
|
Auto Sales: The automobile industry and the auto sales are directly related to the price of oil. In recent years there has been an increasing demand for cars using alternate sources of energy. As a result, the sales of hybrid and electric cars have gone up. Table 2CS.11 shows the sales of luxury cars in the U.S. for 2014 and 2015. The sales are in number of cars sold.
Table 2CS.11: Number of Luxury Cars Sold in the U.S.
|
Model
|
2014 Sales
|
2015 Sales
|
% Change
|
|
Audi A7
|
8133
|
7721
|
|
|
Audi A8
|
5904
|
4990
|
|
|
BMW 6_Series
|
8647
|
8146
|
|
|
BMW_7 Series
|
9744
|
9292
|
|
|
Jaguar XJ
|
4329
|
3611
|
|
|
Lexus LS
|
8559
|
7165
|
|
|
Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
|
6981
|
6152
|
|
|
Mercedes -Benz S-Class
|
25276
|
21934
|
|
|
Porsche Panamera
|
5740
|
4985
|
|
|
Tesla Model S
|
18480
|
26566
|
|
Refer to the data in Table 2CS.8 to 2CS.11 and perform the following analyses. If the data file is not provided or indicated for a set of data, create your own data file.
4. Create two pie charts to show the current and future market shares of different types of cars. Compare and comment on your findings
5. Prepare appropriate chart to show the number of fueling stations.
6. The home heating costs for winter months for 200 families selected randomly are shown in the data file Assignment _5 Data [column containing the data is labeled Home Heating Cost ($). ]
Construct a histogram to summarize this data. Select the class width of 100 starting the class interval from $100-200, 200-300, and so on to 1100-1200. Select the appropriate command to print the values (number of customers) on the top of each bar of the histogram. Comment on the shape of the data and discuss the spread of the home heating cost from the lowest to highest value. Where is the maximum concentration?
7. Using your histogram in part (6), write the frequency distribution table. Use the frequency distribution to construct an ogive. From the ogive, estimate the median value of the home heating cost. Also, estimate the costs for 25% and 75% of the customers.
Refer to Table 2CS.10: Consumption of Oil and perform the following analyses:
8. Construct a bar chart. Show both the percent and the value for each category.
9. Construct a pie chart showing both the percent and the value for each category.
10. Comment on the consumption of categories.
Refer to Table 2CS.11: Number of Luxury Cars Sold in the U.S.
11. Complete the third column of this table by calculating the percent increase/decrease in the number of cars sold. Construct one bar chart to compare the sales for 2014 and 2015. It is clear that there was a big jump in the sales of Tesla Model S. Search the Internet to learn about the Tesla Motors and also the possible reasons for the significant increase in their sales.
In a report summarize your findings explaining the current and future outlook for different energy sources, the consumption of oil, and the automobile sales. State your opinion.
Finding percent increase and decrease:
When finding the percent increase, we take the absolute value of the difference and divide it by the original value. The resulting decimal is then converted to a percent.
Finding percent decrease:Example:
Suppose your annual salary is $50,000. You get a raise this year and your salary increased to $52,000. What is your percent increase in salary?
Your increase in salary is 4%.
Finding percent decrease: Example
When finding the percent increase, we take the absolute value of the difference and divide it by the original value. The resulting decimal is then converted to a percent.
Suppose due to a lay-off in your company, the number of employees in your department went from 50 to 40. What is the percent decrease in the number of employees?
There was a 20% decrease.
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.
Attachment:- Computer-Assignment.rar