Recent Comments:
Nano particle catalyst electrodes could make hydrogen cheaper than gas {Autoblog Green}
Jul 18th 2008 1:08PM "an increase of 300% gas output when producing in smalling amounts"
What is being held constant here, voltage?
Al Gore calls for electric cars {Autoblog Green}
Jul 18th 2008 10:07AM Pure electrics are not needed.
Over 80% of trip mileage happens in the first 40 miles.
Renewables and domestic oil supplies can cover the rest.
Al Gore calls for electric cars {Autoblog Green}
Jul 18th 2008 10:03AM Coal capacity is around 88%, nuclear is similar.
Wind, hydro and solar can approach that when multiple sites are regionally connected.
Nuclear has high capital and low running costs, so it is less competitive.
If you have a power plant that is running less than half the time, it's more important how much it costs when it is not running compared to when it is running.
A combination of smart meter based load shedding and NG peaker plants are probably a better choice as we ramp up wind and solar over the next decade.
Al Gore calls for electric cars {Autoblog Green}
Jul 18th 2008 9:45AM Not unless you are suggesting Liberals outnumber Conservatives 2 to 1.
Gore's average favorable rating since it was first measured by Gallup in 1992 is 55%
W is at 28%
Al Gore calls for electric cars {Autoblog Green}
Jul 18th 2008 9:31AM A market works best when inputs are priced correctly.
A carbon tax would correct for externalities.
Coal plants pollute OUR air and poison OUR fish, they should at least pay us for it.
Purdue study says corn stover better cellulosic ethanol candidate than switchgrass {Autoblog Green}
Jul 16th 2008 9:43AM Stover is already used for cattle feed and other things.
That's why it is baled in that picture.
If it wasn't used for anything they wouldn't round bale it.
Just how long until we see the end of the internal combustion engine? {Autoblog Green}
Jul 10th 2008 11:18AM I agree that current battery tech is more expensive than ICE but this is not governed by physics.
You should update your numbers, these are out of date.
Power plant efficiency is not relevant in this comparison.
Transmission ~90%
Charging ~95%
Motor ~95%
Also, for a fair comparison, for the ICE you would need to compare the the entire powertrain for each case, engine, gas tank, starter, alternator, battery, transmission, cooling, vs. battery, motor, cooling.
Also, if you are going to include transmission losses for electric, you need to include (exploration?), drilling, refining, and transport for the liquid fuel.
Also, electric vehicles are not and will not be powered primarily by coal.
Coal is approximately 50% of current supply, but cars will use marginal supply, which is much, much more efficient than installed base.
A fair comparison would use wind/water/solar to wheel vs well to wheel.
Chevy Volt's gas tank gets downsized, range drops 300 miles {Autoblog Green}
Jul 9th 2008 10:36AM Old news.
They went from two tanks to one for space, weight and cost savings.
The tanks are custom to help preserve gas that may be stored in them much longer than other cars.
A "sizable number" of Americans think gas will hit $5/gallon by Labor Day {Autoblog Green}
Jun 26th 2008 11:21AM I guess I am one of these speculators that everyone is trying to demonize.
I saw we were at peak oil so I bought it as a hedge against higher gas prices.
Now I don't care if it goes up or down; any extra I pay at the pump comes from increases in the commodity price.
If you want to know how high gas will go, ask yourself how expensive it must get for you to stop using it, that is how high it will go.
I don't think $5 is the number, I'd guess more like $10.
Gingrich presents three ways to lower gas prices {Autoblog Green}
Jun 25th 2008 2:02PM Anyone who thinks drilling in the US will lower prices is, unfortunately, mistaken.
OPEC will just shut down a well for every one we drill until we are totally dry.
