June 9, 2006
USE GAS TAXES TO MAKE THEM COMPETITIVE:
From biofuels to wind, quest for energy alternatives steps up (Dave Carpenter, 6/09/06, The Associated Press)
The future of energy is bright in Said Al-Hallaj's invention lab at the Illinois Institute of Technology.Posted by Orrin Judd at June 9, 2006 7:36 AMAll around the facility are advanced alternative-energy projects that testify to the war on oil that's proceeding quietly at laboratories and research centers across the country.
A tiny two-passenger electric car stands ready to drive 25 miles on one charge of its custom-designed pack of lithium-ion batteries, not unlike the ones that power laptops. A research assistant who's working out the kinks on an electric bicycle motors down a hallway at 20 mph, triple the speed of the hybrid fuel-cell scooter developed here.
Elsewhere, Al-Hallaj and another professor are converting an SUV into a plug-in hybrid vehicle using lithium-ion cells to double the fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. And a team of students is converting a gasoline-powered lawnmower to use hydrogen as fuel.
Some of the projects could be manufactured commercially right now, said Al-Hallaj, research associate professor of chemical and environmental engineering and coordinator of IIT's renewable-energy program. The problem is cost, which keeps them from competing with oil — for now.
Cost?
Not for the greenie million/billionaires.
They should be lining up to buy these things.
They just need to market them properly.
Posted by: Sandy P at June 9, 2006 9:44 AM"USE GAS TAXES TO MAKE THEM COMPETITIVE"
In other words, left to the market alone, these"alternatives" would die a natural and deserved death, but because we believe in subsidies for our pet projects, (but not for anyone else's) it's all peachy keen to force people to pay for products the wouldn't buy uncoerced. How "second way" can you get?
I just figured it out!
Where will trains be economically viable/useful/etc...? In and around big cities!
Who is leaving the cities and moving further and further into the suburbs and beyond? Conservatives!
Who is moving into the cities? Liberals!
Sounds like the perfect punishment to me! I'm going to go enjoy a good telecommute now.
Posted by: Jay at June 9, 2006 2:39 PMTrains will get conservatives from their homes outside the cities to their jobs in them, the same way the monorail at Disney takes you from the hotel to the park.
Posted by: oj at June 9, 2006 4:31 PMThe Disney reference seems appropriate. Fantasyland more fitting. The railroad right of ways are being turned into bike paths, except for the main lines. To reconsrtuct them would be just as disruptive and costly as improving the interstate system. Ain't gonna happen unless you're elected dictator. Americans are just about all pro-choice on this issue. Good luck
Posted by: jdkelly at June 9, 2006 6:44 PMUrban residents--too poor or too snooty to have or allow cars--will just ban themn within city limits. Suburbanites won't have a choice.
Posted by: oj at June 9, 2006 7:35 PMThe jobs will just move to the suburbs or go online. It's a big country outside the "Timezone".
(cue the "Outer Limits " music.)
the job
Posted by: jdkelly at June 9, 2006 8:07 PMSuburbanites won't let you build office towers. Cities are going to be for work in the day and entertainment at night, but not for living in.
Posted by: oj at June 9, 2006 8:13 PMOffice towers are obsolete. No citation, just observation. Anecdotal. Fun maybe. Work problematical.
Posted by: jdkelly at June 9, 2006 9:12 PMObsolete, but not going anywhere. They were obsolete when they were built.
Posted by: oj at June 9, 2006 9:37 PMYess it is a LITTLE BIT EXPENCIVE THIS DAYS!
Posted by: xes at June 10, 2006 5:54 AMSkyscrapers in suburbia? Probably not. But lots of office parks, with lakes and trees and flowers and fountains - yes. Very much yes. And the buildings are (and will be) 2,3,4 stories. Maybe even 6 (for those treetop views).
Cities won't ban cars, they'll just try to charge for driving privileges. It might work in a very few places (NY, Boston, SF, maybe Chicago), but nowhere else. Only in the cities where people already live downtown in significant numbers.
Posted by: jim hamlen at June 10, 2006 9:51 AMCharging enough is the same as banning them.
Posted by: oj at June 10, 2006 9:57 AMSuch charges will just kill off the cities even faster than they're dieing now. And since mass transit / trains only work in cities, it will be quite the Phyrric victory.
Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at June 10, 2006 7:30 PMYes, cities aren't live, they're stage sets for work & entertanment.
Posted by: oj at June 10, 2006 8:46 PM