The Alternative Energy Thread

Yeah, so? You think that Musk is going to stick with a technology just because he likes it, even though something better comes along? (Better being defined as cheaper or more efficient.)

Not sure you know what you mean.

Oh, no, I quite know what I'm talking about. The question is: Do you know what you're talking about? Because I've worked in the automotive industry, I've also studied all kinds of aspects about "green energy," and technology in general. I can also talk about the ways in which Musk is human garbage (forget the whole business with the emerald mine, or him being a billionaire at the expense of others, just see how he treated his first wife and their five kids), while still respecting his efforts to push humanity into space and to promote alternatively fueled vehicles. Unlike you, I'm not loyal to a technology or corporation (or willing to heap loads of scorn on them because I somehow missed out on a particular bandwagon).

I suspect we're about equal in that regard (auto industry/mechanics). I'll show you mine if you show me yours.

But you digressed.

You said:

Which is wrong because:
a) you didn't ask me what I think
b) musk always goes for better and cheaper (but sometimes just better)
c) there is no evidence that Mahle's design is better or cheaper
d) Tesla patented similar tech over 10 years ago and is licensing it for free
e) I drive a 6 year old Leaf. What are you driving?

Boy, this thread turned into a

I'm being trolled by a mod!

Need backup. Stat.

You presume from a false assumption. I've no reason to believe that you think at all.

Does he? We're talking about a guy who just now figured out that cryptocurrencies are bad for the environment, despite the fact that other folks have been saying this for a while.

Save for the fact that there's an article that claims this. Is the article right? I dunno, but I also know that you've not provided evidence to the contrary.

And? You know how patents work, right? Just because I can get a patent for something doesn't mean that it's a significant improvement over previous designs. It might simply be cosmetically different than other designs, but that's enough to get me a patent.

This. No shit. I found one abandoned in a parking lot back in 2013 or so. Been riding it ever since. My only expense has been ordering wheels or bearings from Amazon. If that couldn't get me where I needed to go, then it was mass-transit or Uber or got a ride from a friend. Can you say the same? Oh, and since October 2017, it's taken me six minutes on foot to get to work. No shit. Please, tell me, how you've got a smaller carbon footprint in your Leaf. I'd really like to know.

China's second-largest hydroelectric dam comes online. Once fully operational, the dam's total capacity will be 16 million kilowatts.

As an amusing (to me at least) aside, I saw a post on FB about Norway going to electric vehicles. A friend of mine who should have known better (he was an energy analyst for Central Command) said "and what kind of fuel are they burning to power up those electric vehicles? Petroleum! I looked it up Norway's power generation and found that more than 93 percent of their grid is powered by hydro. C'mon man...

Even in bumfuck ga the amount of non-fossil electricity makes electric cars more green.

The other favorite talking point is the amount of greenhouse gases from battery manufacturing. They have no clue how to compare over the life of the vehicle.

Yeah. It's fair to point out that EVs are not a free lunch when it comes topollution. Dismissing the value of EVs because they're not a free lunch is just bogus.

When they smooth out the rough edges (mostly start-up expense) this is going to be the third leg of the renewable energy stool that will replace fossil fuels for electricity generation.

A discussion of geothermal prototypes and the great potential to have a renewable energy source that's constant on demand and not variable


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w...5IsOf1j3JgiImDmwmBkv83ZPBQfQBoG2nAEx2-2cV_35k

Also, a lot of talk lately (because I follow an environmental guy on Twitter, who's interviewed in the link above) about ground source heat pumps and their promise to replace all the old fossil fuel heat in the NE (and they double as AC for the sort of heat waves you used to not have to worry about up north.

Ho hum.



A simple answer. Why didn't I think of this?

More

The Solar-Powered Lightyear One Will 'Drive For Months Without Charging'

Interesting idea. I don't know if the technology is quite there yet to do what they're claiming to be able to do now but assuming no societal collapse in the next decade, we'll get there.

Posting this here because I can't remember if we have a fusion thread.

Looks like scientists have finally gotten more energy than input!
https://www.sciencealert.com/for-th...ted-more-energy-than-absorbed-by-the-fuel/amp

Please note that what they're referring to is the energy of the fusion reaction vs the energy applied to the reaction mass. This is NOT the energy output of the reactor vs the energy input to the reactor. The energy of the reaction still has to be turned into useful electricity, with all the attendant losses of that process.

Which is not to diminish this highly significant achievement. Don't mean to imply that.

if god intended for us to use fusion energy, she would have given us one already.

Yep. This is a gain of 1. We're going to need something like a gain of 20 to make fusion feasible. And the material requirements for economical fusion reactors are, uh, challenging.

Still, big accomplishment and a step toward a fusion future.

Preferably a big shiny one up in the sky, where we couldn't help but notice it.

WV seems like it'd be the perfect spot for projects like this.

The real reason EV sales are lagging.

It comes down to the facts that car dealerships are protected by law, and can't make money on electrics because their business model is based on a profitable service department, and EVs don't need fixing nearly as much as gas powered cars.

Scientists Successfully Turned Used Masks into Lithium-Ion Density Batteries

Luckily, ebikes don't have that problem.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-21/u-s-e-bike-sales-outpaced-electric-cars-in-2021

I want some.

And when those ginormous batteries wear out you just throw away the whole car.

When it's 15 to 20 years old. And then it is recycled.

Without having pumped 70 metric tons of CO2 into the air.

I'm doubting that longevity claim, but regardless I insist that vehicles should last indefinitely and be easily repaired with affordable parts in your average meat head's garage.