Recent Comments:
David Lamb from CSIRO sees air quailty and emissions benefits from plug-ins {Autoblog Green}
Jul 21st 2007 11:40PM TG: in the short term at least, we can burn fossil fuel in our tanks, or use energy from fossil fuels in the power grid that is currently just going to waste and not being used. In Australia, using that wasted power for transport not only reduces emissions, but also helps energy security for a region that has plentiful coal and uranium supplies but relatively little oil. Ideally we should be moving to completely renewable energy, but realistically that's unlikely to happen down here for half a century at least.
Video: Cars aren't the only vehicles being electrified, check out the new 787 {Autoblog Green}
Jul 8th 2007 11:43PM It's possible, more likely on the top of the fuselage than on the wings - there are simply too many control surfaces on the wing surface for solar panels to be viable there. As long as it wasn't a structural component it would technically work, but I think it would be too expensive to be worth the small amount of electricity they would generate.
Idaho family will spend summer vacation preaching biodiesel {Autoblog Green}
Jun 24th 2007 8:04PM If they really wanted to lower their emissions and live a sustainable lifestyle, they could have just had two less children...
EPA posts E85 mileage numbers next to gas for flex-fuel vehicles {Autoblog Green}
Jun 24th 2007 1:43AM Angelo is correct: much of the reason that the range and mileage of E85 is reduced is because additional fuel is needed to match the performance of ULP. In operation, E85 has a higher octane than standard unleaded petrol and results in higher performance. Saab's turbocharged engine effectively provides more power, reducing the amount of E85 required and increasing the mileage. That hardly excuses ethanol's other sins, but it's disingenuous to suggest that a car performs worse under E85.
EasyJet ecoJet cuts greenhouse gas emissions in half {Autoblog Green}
Jun 17th 2007 3:48AM #3: you're half right. Turbofans use the gas turbine engine to run a many-bladed fan which provides the majority of the thrust, as you say, but generally the blades are enclosed in a shell and located at the front of the engine rather than the rear (called a ducted fan). Nearly all modern airliners use turbofans, including long-haul aircraft such as the 777 and the A340. EasyJet is calling this an "unducted fan" design, and I'm at a bit of a loss as to why this is supposed to be better than a standard turbofan.
They also say they're removing leading edge slats...that might decrease noise and drag coefficient levels a bit, but it also makes landing a lot more interesting because you're reducing the lift coefficient, meaning you need to land at a higher speed. If the article mentioned anywhere that they'd collaborated with some sort of aerospace company and didn't just think this up in-house, I'd be able to take it a bit more seriously.
The balance between the individual desire and the collective benefit {Autoblog Green}
May 30th 2007 12:37AM Professor Ross is probably smart enough to know that the existing grid couldn't handle a significant number of EVs charging every night. The infrastructure for that massive increase in energy use doesn't exist in many places.
Will China lead the world in making the first hydrogen infrastructure a reality? {Autoblog Green}
May 18th 2007 8:35AM Peak: China's also leading the world in the number of nuclear reactors being developed, though, and since the only sensible method of hydrogen production is through high-temperature thermochemical reactions, nuclear reactors are almost necessary for a hydrogen economy (since the hydrogen production uses waste heat rather than electricity). For that reason, China is getting a lot of attention from the H2-friendly auto makers.
Renault kicks off eco² initiative, vehicle line {Autoblog Green}
May 13th 2007 2:51AM PeakVT: certainly that's the case in the US, where ethanol is made from corn. Remember this is a French company, though, so the source of ethanol in their export markets will vary widely. Ethanol from crops such as sugarcane, such as what is made in Brazil and Australia, has nearly twice the yield of corn ethanol per hectare and is a much more viable fuel.
GM could have mass-market hydrogen vehicle for sale in five years {Autoblog Green}
Apr 30th 2007 11:35PM The two biggest stumbling blocks for hydrogen, as I see them at least, are cost and efficiency. Currently it's still cheaper to build an electric car than it is a hydrogen FC car, and you'll use less energy (thus create less CO2) to run it. If GM thinks they can get a fuel cell car out in five years, they obviously think they can change at least the cost aspect. It'll be interesting to see where they expect the hydrogen to be sourced from; methane's still the likely source, which effectively nullifies any claims of environmental friendliness.
Wallpaper magazine's showcase of "innovative but environmentally friendly designs" {Autoblog Green}
Apr 18th 2007 1:52AM Can I argue that the BMW Hydrogen 7, if using the ever-popular steam reformation method of producing hydrogen, has the same life-cycle CO2 emissions as a sedan? Preaching to the choir here, I know, but still... ;)
Alright, alright, aesthetics. I love the ENV's look, very clearly has Suzuki's design influences in there. The BMW is a bit boring, though...it just looks like every other BMW. Great for getting it accepted but I don't see it being any real design feat.
