BP Solar turns profit

[Bosh]

the Chinese seem to be making big strides in the use of eco-friendly electrical sources.

Since when was using coal in insane quantities eco-friendly???!?!?

[alva]

Car
A
Fuel
Efficiency
???

[Provost Harrison]

Originally posted by Bosh

Since when was using coal in insane quantities eco-friendly???!?!?

As Az has said, the alternative energy sources, alas, seem to be a drop in the ocean...

(try saying As Az has... repeatedly really quickly )

[Az]

Originally posted by Bosh

Since when was using coal in insane quantities eco-friendly???!?!?

probably referring to Hydro.

Btw, Coal has a better energy intensity ( or whatever the proper term is) per CO2 generated. It's the particles and sulfur that are the problem, but both can be tackled with proper filters. ( but I mean PROPER filters. A helluva investment- like bag sets connected in line or something. )

[Dinner]

Originally posted by alva
Car
A
Fuel
Efficiency
???

Corporate Average Fuel Economy. They are the legal requirements which automakers must reach or else they will be fined for making cars which are not fuel efficent enough. In the 1975 the Energy Policy Conservation Act was passed which required the average fuel economy of every car a company makes to meet a certain level. That average has been increased twice since 1975 (last in 1988) and currently stands at 27.5 mpg.

Each time the standard was introduced or upgraded the automakers said it would be impossible to reach or would be to expensive and lobbied hard against it. Foreign makers had no trouble at all reaching the requirements and so the domestics had to shut up and meet the requirements. The auto industry has a long history of saying everything is impossible and/or to expensive as a way to opposing improvements but everytime they've been wrong.

The domestics claimed it would be impossible to phase lead out of gasoline and still have cars run well; cars actually have run just as well without leaded gas. The domestics claimed it would be impossible to meet the Clean Air Act's emission requirements; Japanese & European makers met the requirments on time. The domestics claimed it would be impossible to reach crash safety standards and that consumers didn't want safer cars; not only were the standards all reachable but consumers pay close attention to which cars get the highest safety ratings. When California passed the Ultra Low Emission Vehicle law in the 1994 which required cut emissions allowed in half as well as mandating electric and hybrid vehicles to be produced the automakers said it was impossible. Eventually it was determined that electric cars weren't good for most cars and so only buses were required to be electric while hybrids and super clean gasoline engines have quickly become the standard.

Bush's energy policy is bad because he has ignored easy gains in efficiency such as raising CAFE standards which would make every new car in America get better gas milage. This can be done with existing technology such as lowering weight by using lighter materials or by making engines smaller but more technologically advanced or by making greater use of turbochargers/superchargers. One thing is clear. The autocompanies never act unless the government forces them to act.

[Dinner]

BTW CAFE limits don't cover the trucks, SUVs, or vans so the real fuel economy is much lower then the 27.5 mpg legally mandated.

he total fleet fuel economy peaked in 1987 at 26.2 mpg when light trucks made up a mere 28.1 percent of the market. By 2001 with light trucks making up 46.7 percent of the market total fleet fuel economy fell to 24.4 mpg.

Once trucks, SUVs, and vans are included then the numbers were 24.4 mpg nation wide in 2001. SUV and truck sales have only taken more of the market since 2001 so it is important to bring them into the CAFE system. A rise of 3.1 mpg on average in order to equalize the rules seems like it would be easy enough to do. 27.5 mpg isn't very hard to reach.

http://www.ita.doc.gov/td/auto/cafe.html

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Provost Harrison
Solar and wind energy would be good too...the Chinese seem to be making big strides in the use of eco-friendly electrical sources.

Hydro isn't all that eco-friendly. No air pollution, but it ****s up tons of other stuff.

[Provost Harrison]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker


Hydro isn't all that eco-friendly. No air pollution, but it ****s up tons of other stuff.

The consequences you can account for beforehand...but then again, nothing is perfect...

[The Mad Monk]

Now that I live in Kansas, one of my goals is to build a house powered solely by rotary bird blenders.