[DML] Re: Alternate Fuels..

["jtrealtywebspannet" <jtrealty@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

A major reason any other fuel looks better pricewise is because it is not as heavily taxed as gasoline (or diesel). While you can consider some fuels "free" the conversion is not. It has to be amortized over the life of the vehicle. Depending on the amount of miles driven that can take a while. In some cases more than the life of any single vehicle. This does not consider most conversions will still also use gasoline (dual fuel) or you have a severely reduced operating range. Yes, the sun and wind are free, the catch is in collecting, storing, and transferring sufficient quantities to power a vehicle. Very difficult to compete against mature technologies with a large infrastructure. To be successful you must have a competitor vehicle with at least similar operating characteristics. That means a range of at least 250 miles, fast and plentiful stations to refill/recharge (minutes not hours) and enough performance to drive on the highway. Other secondary issues include availability of service, and at least close in cost. My guess is you will see cars with "reformers" onboard to convert gasoline into Methane or Hydrogen. At first that will run the IC motor in hybrids. Eventually it will run a fuel cell. We will still be using gasoline, just a LOT more efficiently for the near future.
David Teitelbaum

--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Marc Levy <malevy_nj@...> wrote:
>
> Ignoring the solar issue (Even buying electricity from the grid is cheaper than gasoline), if we are talking about transportation using electricity the real comparison would be the "sorting" the electricity in a battery versus hydrogen.
> 
> Hydrogen seems like it is cheaper, lighter, and has less impact on the environment.
> 
> 
> --- On Fri, 3/2/12, Martin Gutkowski <martin@...> wrote:
> 
> > From: Martin Gutkowski <martin@...>
> > Subject: Re: [DML] Re: Alternate Fuels..
> > To: dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Date: Friday, March 2, 2012, 10:45 AM
> > Do some simple sums on the amount of
> > energy in a tank of fuel then work out how long it'd take
> > for a solar panel to transfer that energy. Factor in the
> > (in)efficiency of the hydrogen generation, and work out the
> > square yardage of panels you'd need to "re-fuel" your car in
> > a reasonable length of time. 
> > 
> > I think you'll find in very short order that what you
> > propose is thoroughly impractical and/or prohibitively
> > expensive.
> > 
> > For me it comes down to how crap solar is as a renewable
> > energy source. Wind might work on a domestic scale but your
> > neighbours might not like you for it...
> > 
> > Martin
> > 
> > Sent from my BlackBerry®
> >
>




------------------------------------

To address comments privately to the moderating team, please address:
moderators@xxxxxxxxxxx

For more info on the list, tech articles, cars for sale see www.dmcnews.com

To search the archives or view files, log in at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnewsYahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews/

<*> Your email settings:
    Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews/join
    (Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
    dmcnews-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
    dmcnews-fullfeatured@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    dmcnews-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/