it'd be nice if people looked for solutions instead of problems. there are dozens of ways to get clean power, just takes people doing it...mainly the (admittedly unreliable) government mandating companies to do it.
better to have an electric vehicle that can become clean (or already is if your area allows you to choose to buy clean power only) then to have a gas car that can not use clean power.
Ah yes, let's call all transitional technology bad because it isn't ideal at once... in the end we keep doing the same we are doing because the perfect solution just doesn't come up!
It's a very dumb way of reasoning which I see way to often on weblogs... THINK before you say something please!
The problem is that internal combustion engines are horribly inefficient. Even if every car was a plug in and all the electricity came from coal power plants there would still be a dramatic reduction in CO2 release overall.
1. The pollution created by generating electricity for cars can be more efficiently managed as the pollution is created in one spot, not at the end of every car.
2. Electricity is increasingly being generated by environmentally friendly methods.
3. Any increase in demand in electricity should (if the regulating authorities have their thinking caps on) be met with solar and wind generation facilities.
4. Ethanol/Methanol as a fuel is causing stress on the agriculture sector and is directly responsible for part of the shocking surge in food prices.
What do you suggest instead? That all efforts be concentrated in solving one problem at a time? I doubt that such an approach would be an effective and efficient use of resources.
Do a little more research before bashing. I hate how all the electric car hates say, oh, the power is coming from coal plants and thats bad for the environment.
2nd off- Its been pointed out plenty of times before thats ICE's are pretty inefficient. Coal plants are about 40% efficient while cars are about 15%. that number may vary, but its about right. http://www.electroauto.com/info/pollmyth.shtml
Transitional technology sucks - look at all those hybrid HDDs in use. Hybrid cars are just as stupid. You need two freakin motors instead of one, weighing down the car.
Because clearly, mining nickel out of the ground in Canada and then sending it to the ends of the earth to be processed before it can then be added to the battery which can then be added to car (in separate factories, often in separate countries) so that the car can then be sent to you is the green way forward. A recent study showed that a Toyota Pirus has a greater long term impact than a Land Rover Discovery. Why on earth did you low rank him for pointing out that this car will have greater overall CO2 emissions than the standard petrol car?
@fanman: since we are quoting studies...that mining of nickle is a factor (or beryllium, or lithium, or whatever the future holds) but, lets now talk i.c.e. fuel...that 15% efficiency (vs 40% of a coal plant also near sudbury where that nickle comes from) drops down to
wow, my posting on this comment is 4$$, need to proof read before i hit send.
that 2% efficiency is a factor if including the footprint of drilling the oil, shipping it, refining it, transporting it, and the many litlle and some big spills that happen along the way. google it, it's a real study, honest...
Ok, as an interim to the DARPA-sourced 100% efficient multi-wavelength solar panels, I vote for Porn-Power!
They should mount some sort of device to the stars, that somehow captures the energy expended in their reciprocating movements. I mean, cripes! -That Jenna Jameson's like a human pogo stick!!!
-Otherwise, the people arguing for the plusses of COAL are tools. -There Is NO such thing as clean coal. Anyone who's been anywhere near a smokestack of any kind can tell you the scrubbers never operate well, despite the quasi-fraudulent certificate of functionality the kickbacked-inspectors routinely slap on them.
yeahyeahyeah, CO2-whatever, but Coal Pollutes in MANY other ways other than this vaporous tradeoff you're concocting of ICE vs. coal-powered electrics.
Fanman has been watching Top Gear apparently.... You DO know that while entertaining, Jeremy Clarkson constantly makes stuff up and isn't exactly a reliable source of information, right?
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Cool! A car that uses gas and electricity! And since electricity comes from coal, drivers can double their polluting excitement!
it'd be nice if people looked for solutions instead of problems. there are dozens of ways to get clean power, just takes people doing it...mainly the (admittedly unreliable) government mandating companies to do it.
better to have an electric vehicle that can become clean (or already is if your area allows you to choose to buy clean power only) then to have a gas car that can not use clean power.
Ah yes, let's call all transitional technology bad because it isn't ideal at once... in the end we keep doing the same we are doing because the perfect solution just doesn't come up!
It's a very dumb way of reasoning which I see way to often on weblogs... THINK before you say something please!
The problem is that internal combustion engines are horribly inefficient. Even if every car was a plug in and all the electricity came from coal power plants there would still be a dramatic reduction in CO2 release overall.
1. The pollution created by generating electricity for cars can be more efficiently managed as the pollution is created in one spot, not at the end of every car.
2. Electricity is increasingly being generated by environmentally friendly methods.
3. Any increase in demand in electricity should (if the regulating authorities have their thinking caps on) be met with solar and wind generation facilities.
4. Ethanol/Methanol as a fuel is causing stress on the agriculture sector and is directly responsible for part of the shocking surge in food prices.
What do you suggest instead? That all efforts be concentrated in solving one problem at a time? I doubt that such an approach would be an effective and efficient use of resources.
@ JZT
Do a little more research before bashing. I hate how all the electric car hates say, oh, the power is coming from coal plants and thats bad for the environment.
1st off - http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/215184,volkswagen-unveils-hybrid-car-prototype-that-comes-with-plug.html "Volkswagen said it would only use power generated from renewable sources such as sunshine, wind and hydro dams." So shut your mouth.
2nd off- Its been pointed out plenty of times before thats ICE's are pretty inefficient. Coal plants are about 40% efficient while cars are about 15%. that number may vary, but its about right. http://www.electroauto.com/info/pollmyth.shtml
Transitional technology sucks - look at all those hybrid HDDs in use. Hybrid cars are just as stupid. You need two freakin motors instead of one, weighing down the car.
Because clearly, mining nickel out of the ground in Canada and then sending it to the ends of the earth to be processed before it can then be added to the battery which can then be added to car (in separate factories, often in separate countries) so that the car can then be sent to you is the green way forward. A recent study showed that a Toyota Pirus has a greater long term impact than a Land Rover Discovery. Why on earth did you low rank him for pointing out that this car will have greater overall CO2 emissions than the standard petrol car?
But at least it's economical... -.-
@fanman:
since we are quoting studies...that mining of nickle is a factor (or beryllium, or lithium, or whatever the future holds) but, lets now talk i.c.e. fuel...that 15% efficiency (vs 40% of a coal plant also near sudbury where that nickle comes from) drops down to
sorry...
drops down to less than 2%
again, why look for problems, try to find solutions.
wow, my posting on this comment is 4$$, need to proof read before i hit send.
that 2% efficiency is a factor if including the footprint of drilling the oil, shipping it, refining it, transporting it, and the many litlle and some big spills that happen along the way. google it, it's a real study, honest...
Ok, as an interim to the DARPA-sourced 100% efficient multi-wavelength solar panels, I vote for Porn-Power!
They should mount some sort of device to the stars, that somehow captures the energy expended in their reciprocating movements. I mean, cripes! -That Jenna Jameson's like a human pogo stick!!!
-Otherwise, the people arguing for the plusses of COAL are tools. -There Is NO such thing as clean coal. Anyone who's been anywhere near a smokestack of any kind can tell you the scrubbers never operate well, despite the quasi-fraudulent certificate of functionality the kickbacked-inspectors routinely slap on them.
yeahyeahyeah, CO2-whatever, but Coal Pollutes in MANY other ways other than this vaporous tradeoff you're concocting of ICE vs. coal-powered electrics.
Solar and Wind are much better ideas.
Fanman has been watching Top Gear apparently.... You DO know that while entertaining, Jeremy Clarkson constantly makes stuff up and isn't exactly a reliable source of information, right?