June Ethanol down .09 cents to $2.40
Great now we are relying on a "renewable" fuel that is highly dependent on 1. water, 2. growing season, 3. insects, 4. disease, 5. fertilizer availability, 6. chemicals, etc. Now once it gets a foothold in the market you will see some nice swings.
Not the right path to be going. You better start thinking solar.
Socrates: "Democracy, which is a charming form of government, full of variety and disorder, and dispensing a sort of equality to equals and unequaled alike."
Problems are weight (too heavy vehicle to be efficient), and also the fragility of solar panels (survive weather well, but can't take a dent). Making them dent resistant current technology uses materials that do not let sunlight in at the amount needed to generate power. I'm not a pointy head on the subject but have to keep up with the market, so there may theoritically be something that works, but I haven't seen it yet even out of the lab projects. Solar *can* be used to recharge batteries, but mostly the recharge system is industrial size.
"All the prophets of Doom, Can always find room, In a world full of worry and fear..." - Protest Song, Monty Python
The cost for producing electricity from solar energy is still not cost effective. To produce enough electricity to supply one home would run between $25,000-$35,000 and you would still be dependent on the grid. To be grid independent , you would need a vast array of batteries that would take up all basement space.
Wind might be cheaper.
There is a company called - I think - Solar Sailor that makes a solar powered ferry boat. I ran into the specs during a project I was working on. I can't remember the specifics regarding how efficient it was or how much ancilliary fuel it took though. I just remember the boat looked very cool!
And you're right, Silverbird, we are talking seriously industrial size here.
Lady
Ferry boat is perfect for solar panels, big and flat. Here you go. http://www.solarsailor.com/
"All the prophets of Doom, Can always find room, In a world full of worry and fear..." - Protest Song, Monty Python
My thinking was electric cars, the grid would be over every road and parking lot in the US. You would reduce road heating and damage while providing a grid system for everyone to tap into for a recharge.
Start in the Southwest or Texas. Lots of roads and sun.
As far as it not being effective, I agree but neither was ethanol until Congress subsidized the production and gave tax credits to the oil companies for every gallon blended.
Just spit balling.
Socrates: "Democracy, which is a charming form of government, full of variety and disorder, and dispensing a sort of equality to equals and unequaled alike."
At least we are thinking more about alternative forms of energy. That's a start.
But with the mentality that the powers to be have, as soon as oil prices go down to acceptable levels (If it happens) everyone one will forget about ethanol, solar, or wind.
I saw a commercial the other day where Chrysler was promising $2.99/gal for gas or diesel for 12,000 miles per year for three years if you buy a new vehicle from them.
Perhaps they know something we don't.
They can do math.
At $4 gas, then it only costs them a buck a gallon. Times that by the number of gallons they need to buy to power their cars for 36,000 miles total (at 20 MPG, and $4 gas that works out to 1800 gallons, at a buck subsidy a gallon). Or a flat $1800 bucks At five bucks a gallon, it would work out to $3600 bucks.
GM is offering $3500 rebates right now, only it's cash now, not a promise of cheaper gas later. GM will pay it out whether the price of gas rises or falls. Chrysler only has to pay out if the price is higher.
And if gas falls to $3 a gallon, then they are off the hook entirely. (ok- a penny a gallon).
If you ask me- Chrysler is betting that gas won't exceed $5 over the next three years. If it does, then they will be hurting. But to tell you the truth, they won't be hurting as much as GM will be hurting if gas goes to five bucks.
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