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Author Topic: alternative energy  (Read 1055 times)

Offline Toad

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« Reply #45 on: March 12, 2005, 11:57:04 PM »
I would harness Greed.

I'd have a bunch of famous scientists set mileage and emissions standards. I'd want something like double or triple the mileage engines get now with less than half the emissions.

Then I'd slap a 25 cent tax on every gallon of every kind of fuel that is sold. The money would all go into a jackpot. First Patent issued that met the requirements would get 65% of the pot and the tax would stop right there. Second Patent issued that met the requirements would get 25% of the pot. Third Patent issued would get 10% of the pot, a warm handshake and a "thanks for trying" from the Prez.

Let Greed do the work.
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Offline Nash

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« Reply #46 on: March 13, 2005, 12:05:32 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by Toad
Let Greed do the work.


Absolutely.

The problem is that greed is already doing the work... Just a different line of work.

We're lookin' at a wannabe oil man for a prez, a sec state with a tanker named after her, and all the rest of them just worried enough about the next election cycle that they can't afford to turn off the tap.

So...  that brand of greed already has its own built-in infrastructure. It'd be mightily hard to replace it with another brand of greed.
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Offline Rolex

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« Reply #47 on: March 13, 2005, 07:46:33 AM »
Mankind often steps up to find solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems. Unfortunately, the Vegas line is that our grandchildren will be cursing us about this one. We're only two generations away from reaping what we failed to sow from a generation of inaction.

Sorry, no solutions now short of a magic wand or a lucky silver bullet. We failed to recognize the oil embargo 30 years ago for what it was: the global wakeup call to action, not discussion.

This isn't Y2K. This is the real deal. We're just a few years away from the start of the downward slope of all oil production. It took us 125 years to use half of it and the last half will be used up in just half that time at our rate of consumption.

The average American family would be destitute after 3 months without a paycheck. What makes you think you can get them to invest and plan for something 20 years from now?

Government programs? The government is broke in case you hadn't heard. You're borrowing $2 billion every day from foreigners just to keep the lights on.

Nuclear power? Too late. If you got everyone to agree tomorrow to begin construction again, we wouldn't get even one plant online before 2020. And that possiblity isn't even on the radar.

Gas, Hydrogen and turkey guts are all fine ideas. But if you're planning on being around 30 years from now, you might want to get used to the idea of being a little cold in the winter, a little hot in the summer and doing alot more bicycling and walking.
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Offline BUG_EAF322

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« Reply #48 on: March 13, 2005, 08:18:47 AM »
Quote
(no...not the thomson twins song...and if you got that...well, youre old.)

I was thinking faith no more.
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Offline Jackal1

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« Reply #49 on: March 13, 2005, 08:19:43 AM »
Simple. Grow more corn. It would put the family farm back in business and make a cleaner burning fuel to boot.
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Offline john9001

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« Reply #50 on: March 13, 2005, 12:23:40 PM »
i like the corn idea, grow corn , make moonshine, drink some , put the rest in your car.

but serously, they can make gasoline from coal, it just costs about 40% more than gas from oil, and the US has about 300 years of coal.

hydrocarbons is hydrocarbons.


on the price of oil. India and China's economys are growing at 10% a year, the chinese are buying cars as fast as they can be built and imported, those cars need gas.

world oil production is flat, demand is going up, shortage of oil will drive up prices. We could see $3 gal gas by this summer, oil at $100 a barrel is posiable in the near future.
« Last Edit: March 13, 2005, 12:29:12 PM by john9001 »
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Offline Holden McGroin

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« Reply #51 on: March 13, 2005, 12:50:04 PM »
Brazil produces four billion gallons of ethanol a year: all Brazilian fuel contains at least 24% ethanol, and much of it is 100% ethanol (engines can be designed to run on 100% ethanol).

Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors all recommend ethanol fuels, and nearly every car manufacturer in the world approves ethanol blends in their warranty coverage.

Many hydrogen alternatives pull hydrogen out of oil and gas, and thereby does nothing to help with CO2 or fuel dependance.

Fuel cells drive sysytems can be developed, Hydrogen engines are relatively easy to retrofit, it is the fuel delivery infrastructure that takes the big bucks.  Fueling stations could be connected to the grid and electrolyze local water to produce hydrogen at the station. (as a test station in Iceland currently does)  But hydrogen is just a way to store electrical energy for vehicular use.  

We would need to double our production of electrical energy. Nuclear is presently the most feasable production alternative as it produces no green house gas, salmon runs are unaffected, no acid rain, etc. but politics prohibit it.  Glass vitrification waste disposal has been proven reliable in Europe. Upgrading the grid, and fuel storage onboard the vehicle are the hurdles that remain.
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Offline Elfie

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« Reply #52 on: March 13, 2005, 01:43:35 PM »
I would push the *Turkey blood into oil* thing that was posted some time ago on this BBS. That technology turns any carbon based waste into oil.
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Offline JB88

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« Reply #53 on: March 13, 2005, 01:56:52 PM »
its made of people!!!!!!!


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Offline TweetyBird

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« Reply #54 on: March 13, 2005, 09:07:44 PM »
Alternative energy? I smothered down some cabbage today - I have an idea :D
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Offline Nash

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« Reply #55 on: March 13, 2005, 09:11:54 PM »
BOOM! I just had me a vision!

Now bear with me folks...

Rubber bands.

'nuff said.
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Offline JB88

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« Reply #56 on: March 13, 2005, 09:14:45 PM »
i'm with you...keep going...
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Offline Toad

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« Reply #57 on: March 13, 2005, 09:18:28 PM »
Exploding rubber bands? Hmmmm.. it's just so crazy it might work!
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Offline Nash

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« Reply #58 on: March 13, 2005, 09:20:47 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by JB88
i'm with you...keep going...


Erhm... well that's it.

I'm an idea guy! I'll let the smart people run with the concept of harnessing the power of rubber bands.
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Offline JB88

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« Reply #59 on: March 13, 2005, 09:24:11 PM »
i have tried to wrap my arms around it, but all that i get is the wasted energy winding or pulling them which would come from where again?  

maybe you are just a prophet and i aint ready.

sorry.

i tried.

wait!  cartoon characters!  YES!
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