PV Gap

Henry Said:

Isn't this solid proof that Bush is deliberately betraying America so Oil corps can steal more profits?

We Answered:

Electricity from solar cells is not free.

the typical home installation produces approximately 4000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year.

the system costs approximately $30,000 installed.

The second mortagage that you will put on your home to finance the installation will have an interest rate of approximately 8% or $2,400 per year.

that is a cost of approximately 60 cents per kilowatt hour of electricity.

$2,400/4,000 kilowatt hours = $0.60 per kilowatt hour = 60 cents per kilowatt hour.

That is far more than you are paying for electricity now.

the average electric car requires 10 kilowatt hours of electricity to go 20 miles.

At 60 cents per kilowatt hour that is $6.00 for the cost of electricity to go 20 miles.

that is like paying $6.00 per gallon of gasoline. And you thought that payiing $4.00 per gallon of gasoline was bad.

Daisy Said:

Can someone help me to do those questions, they are about 2008 presidential election chronicle.?

We Answered:

What on Earth??? Homework?

Theodore Said:

BENEFITS OF ETHANOL FUEL, BiODiESEL, HYBRiDS, HYDROGENFUEL CELL, PURE ELECTRIC POWERED CARS, ...........?

We Answered:

Compressed-air powered cars aren't likely to gain much ground as (if memory serves) the process of compressing is only about 20% efficient - meaning you'd be throwing away 80% of the energy spent to compress the air in the first place.

Biodiesel is a contender but SVO (Straight Vegetable Oil) is just as good if not better for the engine. Just needs to be preheated and the engine must start with diesel or bio-diesel, then switch over.

Ethanol has gotten off to a ridiculous start as corn-derived ethanol requires more energy than it provides in the end. Switchgrass is a viable alternative ethanol crop but it'll take a while to popularize, what with the ag industry having just begun to invest in developing seed, fertilizer, growing techniques, etc.

Of all the contenders you mentioned, I do like anything that could run on methanol or ethanol as the methane is easily and cheaply produced by microbes (called 'anaerobes') that eat anything with carbon and hydrogen content (nearly, anyway) and give off copious amounts of methane. Then, there's another bacteria that eats the methane (a gas) and gives off methanol (a liquid).

Hybrids are a makeshift solution but are very efficient for the time-being. Solar electric cars won't likely be cost-effective or even provide good performance for a very, very long time. However, Plug-In EV's, if the grid goes mostly solar, would give the same end effect.

Hydrogen? I don't see how it could ever work. It costs more to produce hydrogen - and often uses more fossil fuels - than it saves. The hydrogen must be compressed to something like 5,000 psi and, even at such astronomical pressures, the range is like a hundred miles. Direct Carbon Fuel Cells, Methane Fuel Cells, etc, all stand a much better chance of reaching viability.

Keep in mind, though, that a train can transport people comfortably using a tiny fraction of the fuel cars require...even the most efficient cars still in the early CAD stages.

A smarter transportation technology might be the development of a track-switching train design that could pick your micro-car up and deliver it to just about anyplace roads go. Just get on the outer (feeder) track nearest your home, that train speeds up, comes along-side a specially-designed receiver train, locks in, slides your micro-car over onto it and just keeps going. Then you'll be brought along-side another one that shifts your car over to it, and delivers you to your destination.

Lots of ideas out there. It's fun watching these things develop.

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Willie Said:

Isn't this solid proof that Bush is deliberatly betraying America for Oil Corp profits?

We Answered:

Little attention and few resources have been devoted to alternative energy because the Bush administration is not really interested. This situation will change with a Democratic administration.

Tara Said:

Is it true we are going to run out of oil?

We Answered:

yeah America is addicted to oil yeah they should be making those hybird cars already and fuel cells car like u said