MIT primed to unleash solar revolution

[J. Clarke]

You forgot the losses getting the fuel to the cell.

The same losses apply to an internal combustion engine. Or do you
have some magical new fuel waiting in the wings that can be made more
efficiently than hydrogen?

 

[J. Clarke]

Suggest you take a peek at what an oxy tank explosion recently did
to
Qantas QF30.

Not much compared to what a fuel tank explosion would have done.

 

[Eeyore]

The same losses apply to an internal combustion engine. Or do you
have some magical new fuel waiting in the wings that can be made more
efficiently than hydrogen?

Ii wouldn't run an ICE on hydrogen.

Graham

 

[Eeyore]

Not much compared to what a fuel tank explosion would have done.

Gasoline fuel tanks only 'explode' in Hollywood movies. See Mythbusters
attempts to do it.

See 'Ronin' to see what really happens. It's a film well worth watching
too.

Graham

 

[J. Clarke]

Fuels are not actually made but mined or found naturally.

So when the oil runs out do you have a replacement that can be "mined
or found naturally" that can run a car, ship, or airplane?

Hydrogen is
a storage medium, at present, and a poor one due to losses.

Please identify a better one.

With
advances in technology it may become viable and reinstated by
manufacturers of portable devices, such as automobiles, instead of
being tooted by ignorant politicians.

Which "ignorant politicians" are "tooting" it?

 

[J. Clarke]

Ii wouldn't run an ICE on hydrogen.

So what would you run it on?

 

[Mauried]

So how do you run a car on geothermal power? Or nuclear for that
matter?

--

I run my car on gasoline.
In the future, it will be gasoline made from Coal to Oil technology.
We arnt running out of oil.
Enough coal in the world to meet the entire woulds gasoline needs for
at least the next 400 years.

 

[Eeyore]

So when the oil runs out do you have a replacement that can be "mined
or found naturally" that can run a car, ship, or airplane?

Coal and oil from coal will fit that bill.

Please identify a better one.

Electric batteries. There may just be room for some genuine breakthrough
with these (like nanotubes) too. They're far from perfect but suit
certain tasks well.

Graham

 

[Eeyore]

So what would you run it on?

Liquid fuel of some description combined with electricity for shorter
ranges i.e. the (preferably IMO series) PHEV.

Did you see what an exploding gas cylinder did to Qantas QF30 a few days
back btw ? Imagine that happening in your high street !

Graham

 

[Eeyore]

I run my car on gasoline.
In the future, it will be gasoline made from Coal to Oil technology.
We arnt running out of oil.
Enough coal in the world to meet the entire woulds gasoline needs for
at least the next 400 years.

In other words, there's no real need to panic at all. Sensible, regular
development will deliver the goods I'm sure.

Graham

 

[J. Clarke]

I run my car on gasoline.
In the future, it will be gasoline made from Coal to Oil
technology.
We arnt running out of oil.
Enough coal in the world to meet the entire woulds gasoline needs
for
at least the next 400 years.

Which isn't long in the greater scheme of things. How much does it
cost to make gasoline from coal? How much to make hydrogen from
uranium?

 

[J. Clarke]

Coal and oil from coal will fit that bill.

Well then why bother with solar at all?

Electric batteries. There may just be room for some genuine
breakthrough with these (like nanotubes) too. They're far from
perfect but suit certain tasks well.

When you have a battery that allows the performance of an internal
combustion engine to be duplicated, including the range and recharge
times, get back to me.

Hydrogen does that _now_ _today_.

 

[J. Clarke]

Liquid fuel of some description combined with electricity for
shorter
ranges i.e. the (preferably IMO series) PHEV.

Describe the liquid fuel.

Did you see what an exploding gas cylinder did to Qantas QF30 a few
days back btw ? Imagine that happening in your high street !

How is that worse than what a burning gasoline powered car does?

 

[J. Clarke]

In other words, there's no real need to panic at all. Sensible,
regular development will deliver the goods I'm sure.

So why are you even talking about solar since there is clearly no need
for it?

 

[Eeyore]

How much does it cost to make gasoline from coal?

Ask Sasol. They're still doing it right now IIRC. Originally to get round
sanctions.

Graham

 

[Eeyore]

Well then why bother with solar at all?

Solat has its place but it doesn't yet seem to be well defined.

Graham

 

[Eeyore]

When you have a battery that allows the performance of an internal
combustion engine to be duplicated, including the range and recharge
times, get back to me.

Hydrogen does that _now_ _today_.

At insane costs and safety risks, not to mention absurdly low overall
efficiency.

See what a damaged oxy (i.e. non-flammable) bottle did to Qantas QF30. I
assume you've seen the news.

Graham

 

[Eeyore]

Describe the liquid fuel.

Tale your pick. Plenty of hydrocarbons work very nicely and modern ECUs
can deal with all sorts of mixes of them.

How is that worse than what a burning gasoline powered car does?

I haven't a clue what you mean. 'Gas tanks' do not in reality 'blow up'
as in Hollywood movies. They have to simulate that.

If you want to see what really happens in a car crash buy or rent the
film 'Ronin'. It's a cracking film to begin with and also makes the car
chases in Bullitt look absurdly tame.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0122690/
Awards: 1 win & 3 nominations

Graham

 

[Eeyore]

So why are you even talking about solar since there is clearly no need
for it?

I was referring to the hopeless and vapid press releasee by MIT, not solar
specifically.

Graham

 

[J. Clarke]

At insane costs and safety risks, not to mention absurdly low
overall
efficiency.

Well, now, in CA it costs about 25 cents more per 65 miles of travel
than does gasoline. That's hardly "insane". You have not identified
any safety risks that are significantly different from those
associated with gasoline.

See what a damaged oxy (i.e. non-flammable) bottle did to Qantas
QF30. I assume you've seen the news.

Yes, I have and your repeating this ad nauseum does not change the
outcome, which is that the plane landed safely.

See what a damaged gasoline tank did to numerous B-17s and B-24s and
Lancasters and whatnot during WWII. It was a lot worse than what that
oxygen bottle did.