PV Gap

Heidi Said:

Why aren't alternate fuel powered vehicles introduced in the market rather than screaming on climate change?

We Answered:

The problem with introducing the vehicles to the market is that there are not many places one can refuel.

If the nearest facility to get fuel is a hundred miles away from your home, would you invest in a hydrogen powered car? Manufacturers will not want to spend time and money building these cars if there is no one out there who will buy them.

If we are to see the increased use of these vehicles, it will me in the commercial vehicle market, such as bus and shuttle systems, delivery truck fleets and such. For these applications, the operators of these fleets may find it economical to build their own fueling stations to keep the fleets rolling.

This is how many natural gas powered fleets were introduced. You can now find airport shuttle bus and city bus systems running these vehicles. They fuel up at natural gas pumps, built on the agency's site. As a result, some taxicab companies, that operate in or near the airports, run some natural gas cars and vans.

Still, the demand from the public to buy private vehicles of these types is low.

Darryl Said:

Can someone please tell me any public companies in USA market which work for alternate energy to crude oil..?

We Answered:

The first link below is for biodiesel.
The second link is for BP's Alternate Energy.

Ricky Said:

Why is there a shortage of silicone in the world market?

We Answered:

its all in Pamela Anderson's chest

Curtis Said:

Why is there a shortage of silicon in the world market?

We Answered:

There is no shortage of silicon in general, but of a very spcecific form (amorphous silicone) which is used to make solar cells. To be able to absorb photones (light aprticles) into electrons it needs a very specific crystalline structure.

The actual shortage in the worldmarket is because the demand developed faster as anticipated and new capacity has to be installed. This will be a temporary effect.

With an increase in production and the realization of the economies of scale (larger volumes usually means lower cost/unit) for this specific silicone and also for the production of solar cells the prices will fall dramatically and so woll the price of electricity made with tis technology.

Mae Said:

If the middle east is so engorged with oil why don't they prepare for the wind/solar/hydrogen future?

We Answered:

Oil and LNG can be transported relatively efficiently to world markets thousands of miles away, wind and solar power cannot (and solar power is very expensive to generate even a small amount of power). Many of the middle east countries do operate desalination plants but it would be wasteful and expensive to produce fresh water for more than basic needs.

They do not have the industrial and scientific base to be leaders in the complex technologies in developing economic solar and hydrogen technology. They would find difficulties in protecting their ownership of the science behind any technology developed if they invested in industrial countries.

There are things they could do in selling their oil at a discount to end users who use their oil in the most environmentally friendly ways and I think this might be a good approach.

However I think it is basically up to the those who use the oil and produce the pollution to address the problem and not try to palm it off on someone else.