Expensive oil means viable alternative energy
mtbr @ Mon May 26, 2008 10:37 am
romanP romanP:
The problem with hybrid cars is that they're built backwards. Instead of using the battery until it needs to be charged and then generating more electricity to recharge the battery with gasoline, they use gasoline first and only turn on the electricity while idling.
incorrect...Toyota hybrid technolgy which is the same used by others does not use any gasoline until it hits a speed of up to 40 or 45kmh in the Prius and the Camry...as well as idiling.
http://www.hybridsynergydrive.com/en/quick_guide.html
Benoit @ Mon May 26, 2008 10:47 am
Expensive oil doesn't means viable alternative energy if those who are enriching themselves don't care to invest in alternative energy infrastructures.
dog77_1999 @ Mon May 26, 2008 12:30 pm
Bruce_the_vii Bruce_the_vii:
You say that Hydrgen has a compareable energy density to methane. I always thought that it didn't, rather a barbeque tank of hydrogen would only be good for a very short drive. The CH4 combines with more O2 than H2.
No, it has comparable energy densities to gasoline(unleaded not diseal). Natural gas has the highest energy density of any plentiful hydrocarbon.
The hybrid design isn't backward. It takes advantage of two things. First is capturing alot of the energy lost from braking. The second using the very efficient electric motor rather than the low efficiencies of gasoline engines at slower speeds. Now at higher speeds, there just isn't enough energy stored in the batteries to sustain the electric motor, hence why the gas engine is used.
dog77_1999 @ Mon May 26, 2008 12:31 pm
Benoit Benoit:
Expensive oil doesn't means viable alternative energy if those who are enriching themselves don't care to invest in alternative energy infrastructures.
It doesn't have to be oil companies that invest in alternative energies. There are many other companies capable of doing research in this field.
commanderkai @ Mon May 26, 2008 2:14 pm
romanP romanP:
commanderkai commanderkai:
Hydrogen. Once we can get that perfected, we won't need oil
We need oil to generate hydrogen. That's why oil companies are so in favour of hydrogen fuel cells.
Actually its natural gas, which is far more abundant. However, like I said, research is needed.
Benoit @ Mon May 26, 2008 2:20 pm
dog77_1999 dog77_1999:
Benoit Benoit:
Expensive oil doesn't means viable alternative energy if those who are enriching themselves don't care to invest in alternative energy infrastructures.
It doesn't have to be oil companies that invest in alternative energies. There are many other companies capable of doing research in this field.
These other companies are seeing their (profit) margins shrink due to higher energy costs.
dog77_1999 @ Mon May 26, 2008 3:29 pm
Benoit Benoit:
dog77_1999 dog77_1999:
Benoit Benoit:
Expensive oil doesn't means viable alternative energy if those who are enriching themselves don't care to invest in alternative energy infrastructures.
It doesn't have to be oil companies that invest in alternative energies. There are many other companies capable of doing research in this field.
These other companies are seeing their (profit) margins shrink due to higher energy costs.
I'd imagine wind power conglomerates(like GE and Siemens) have benifited from higher energy costs. In fact, I don't know of alot of engineering firms who have been hurt by these energy prices. They are the ones who are going to innovate, no retail or the services sector which will get hurt by higher energy.
Benoit @ Mon May 26, 2008 3:52 pm
dog77_1999 dog77_1999:
I'd imagine wind power conglomerates(like GE and Siemens) have benifited from higher energy costs. In fact, I don't know of alot of engineering firms who have been hurt by these energy prices. They are the ones who are going to innovate, no retail or the services sector which will get hurt by higher energy.
When a price of a good increases, the most direct effect is an increase of investments for the production of this good.
romanP @ Mon May 26, 2008 4:16 pm
commanderkai commanderkai:
romanP romanP:
commanderkai commanderkai:
Hydrogen. Once we can get that perfected, we won't need oil
We need oil to generate hydrogen. That's why oil companies are so in favour of hydrogen fuel cells.
Actually its natural gas, which is far more abundant. However, like I said, research is needed.
Natural gas is a byproduct from oil wells. Without the oil industry, there is no natural gas.
Benoit @ Mon May 26, 2008 4:22 pm
romanP romanP:
commanderkai commanderkai:
romanP romanP:
We need oil to generate hydrogen. That's why oil companies are so in favour of hydrogen fuel cells.
Actually its natural gas, which is far more abundant. However, like I said, research is needed.
Natural gas is a byproduct from oil wells. Without the oil industry, there is no natural gas.
For transportation, easily explosive matters are not viable.
romanP @ Mon May 26, 2008 7:14 pm
Explosions aren't really an issue. Propane cars have been around for a pretty long time and I've never heard of one exploding. Hydrogen tanks have been built that vent their gas as a result of violent shock or puncture rather than exploding.
Benoit @ Mon May 26, 2008 8:44 pm
romanP romanP:
Hydrogen tanks have been built that vent their gas as a result of violent shock or puncture rather than exploding.
For viability, these tanks have to be cheap.
C.M. Burns @ Tue May 27, 2008 11:14 am
and we're going to maintain millions of miles of roadway with what? Ashphalt made from corn oil? Plain old concrete?
Benoit @ Tue May 27, 2008 12:45 pm
C.M. Burns C.M. Burns:
and we're going to maintain millions of miles of roadway with what? Ashphalt made from corn oil? Plain old concrete?
Smaller and fewer motor vehicles require less roads.
N_Fiddledog @ Tue May 27, 2008 12:57 pm
dog77_1999 dog77_1999:
I'd imagine wind power conglomerates(like GE and Siemens) have benifited from higher energy costs.
Slipping slightly OT, but wanna read a cool editorial on that?
NBC’s ‘Green Week’ and GE’s green