So many choices for power, Coal, Hydro, Solor, Nuke , Thermo,?

Question

You would think we could come up with enouph power to charge our electric cars. As a market grows with more eletric cars, power needs increse. Woulden't the pollution caused by these methods for power, be alot less than running all gas cars as we do now?

Answer 1

NO COAL!

Answer 2

Yes, it would.  In fact even using the current US power grid mix, which is over 50% coal, EVs produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions than gas cars, hybrids, and even plug-in hybrids.  See the link below for proof.

As we're becoming more environmentally conscious and building more renewable energy plants vs. fewer coal plants, the power grid will only become more environmentally friendly and EVs will be even more beneficial.

Answer 3

Trouble is, gas isn't forever. And no, nuke, wind hydro and solar cause next to nothing in polution.

Answer 4

Yes, EV'S could possibility reduce it some. But at what cost-effectiveness?

Watch out for Dana. The "study" he references is just a summary with little data. The Gasoline car used to compare with EV's only gets 24MPG, and the variation in CO2 reductions ranged from 11% to 100%??

They need to run more studies and compare the EV to European diesels that get 60MPG.

CO2 from cars is less than 10% of the CO2 produced by man. We can easily cut it over 50% by just going like Europe is doing, and spend our money and time on reducing the cost of heating and cooling buildings which is far more important.

EV'S may be OK for the city. Can you imagine living in the country and having a car that cost 100 grand, can only go 50-100 miles without stopping for charging?  I will spend 20,000 and put the rest of the money making my home super efficient. That will do more to reduce CO2.

Answer 5

say

i converted 1 car to run on ethanol, a truck tor un on biodiesel 2 cars to run on hydrogen and one electric. here's what info i have for you...

Ethanol doesn’t go bad like petroleum it’s just Alcohol. It’s what preserves your wine and gets better as the years go by.

Ethanol is a much cleaner fuel than petrol (gasoline):

It is a renewable fuel made from plants

It is not a fossil-fuel: manufacturing it and burning it does not increase the greenhouse effect

It provides high octane at low cost as an alternative to harmful fuel additives

Ethanol blends can be used in all petrol engines without modifications

Ethanol is biodegradable without harmful effects on the environment

It significantly reduces harmful exhaust emissions

Ethanol's high oxygen content reduces carbon monoxide levels more than any other oxygenate: by 25-30%, according to the US EPA

Ethanol blends dramatically reduce emissions of hydrocarbons, a major contributor to the depletion of the ozone layer

High-level ethanol blends reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 20%

Ethanol can reduce net carbon dioxide emissions by up to 100% on a full life-cycle basis

High-level ethanol blends can reduce emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) by 30% or more (VOCs are major sources of ground-level ozone formation)

As an octane enhancer, ethanol can cut emissions of cancer-causing benzene and butadiene by more than 50%

Sulphur dioxide and Particulate Matter (PM) emissions are significantly decreased with ethanol.

Lastly and my favorite.. It can be made at home.

It will cost about $1.10 to $1.20/gal to make the alcohol from various feed-stocks like corn, barley, potatoes, or Jerusalem artichokes. You will also have by-products which you can sell or use as animal feed, reducing the total cost down to about $.95/gal.

I currently run Bio Fuel (straight vegetable) in a 1999 Dodge 3500 truck. But all Cummins engines were modified from the factory to run on BioD since around 1992 without any modification.

Biofuel is recognized by both the US Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy as an alternative fuel, and qualifies for mandated programs under the Clean Air Act Amendments and the Environmental Protection Act of 1992 (EPAct).

USDA Clears Air with Biofuel: Buses and other diesel-burning vehicles run cleaner if they mix biofuel with regular diesel fuel, said the US Department of Agriculture at a biofuel fuel seminar at a USDA research center.

Conversely most major automotive manufacturers (Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors, etc) recommend the use of bio fuels, and nearly every car manufacturer in the world approves ethanol blends in their warranty coverage.

In fact your probably even driving an ethanol car and didn't even know it.

The trick is finding fuel.

I've been producing biofuel for about 3 years now, it's not extremely difficult. Basically you need general household ingredients, a processor (or still for ethanol) and some used oil. Blend it, let separate, screen and use. I complied a guide a while back to help walk you threw the process step by step, just email me or check out..

Hydrogen is a great option for the concept of free energy. I built my first hydrogen cell about 5 years ago and now currently run 2 trucks, my home hot water heater, home stove and home generator on hydrogen for free with caught rain water and the help of a $10 solar panel. I offer a step by step DIY guide to walk anyone interested threw the process. You can find it at http://www.agua-luna.com/hydrogen.html..... or you can email me.

There are basically 3 safe ways to make and use it... chemically, electrically and molecularly, the first 2 being easier so I'll only discuss them here. The fallowing steps were taking directly out of a DIY guide I offer to those who would like to run their vehicles or home on hydrogen safely. The entire guide is available at http://www.agua-luna.com/guides.html...

On demand h2 generators are a bit different from the Hollywood versions like seen Chain Reaction with Keanu Reeves, that tend to explode violently every time a film is being made. However when used in an on-demand system there is no storage of hydrogen and oxygen in its gas form, only liquid (water) and is only transformed into gas “on-demand” in small cylinder size amounts. It’s actually safer then gasoline as it doesn’t evaporate, creating explosive fumes in the tank like gas.

Chemically

1. You’ll need a 6inch x 1ft schedule 40 pvc pipe. With pvc cement glue a cap on the bottom and use a s***w on cap for the top. Drill a small hole (1/4inch or so) in the side close to the top, s******g in a small copper shut off valve. Place a few feet of stranded (food grade is good) flex hose to the valve and into the air intake of your engine (carburetor or fuel injections).

2. Now crunch up a couple aluminum cans (beer cans, soda cans etc) and drop them into the pvc pipe, along with a couple cups of lye (Red Devil drain opener has lye in it, some Clorox and Drano’s do to).

3. Then simply add water, s***w on the top and wait a few minutes.

What happens in simplicity is that aluminum and lye don’t really get along so they battle, and as always the innocent civilians (water H2O) that the most casualties, by giving up its hydrogen and oxygen. This then builds up in the void of the pipe and is ready to be vented into your engine, by opening the valve. You may need to start your engine on gas then switch it off after the hydrogen starts burning.

Electrical is a bit easier then Chemically.

1. Simply take a small solar panel 1.5 amps is what I use ($9 at harborfreight.com), connect the 2 wires from the panel +- to 2 conductors (carbon cores of batteries work well, just be careful removing it from the jacket), but any conductive material will work ie. Copper, aluminum, steel, etc.

2. Drop the wires into a water tank (I use 55gal drums), make sure they don’t touch each other.

3. Drill a small hole (1/4inch or so) in the side close to the top, s******g in a small copper shut off valve. Place a few feet of stranded (food grade is good) flex hose to the valve and into the air intake of your engine (carburetor or fuel injections).

4. Then simply add water, s***w on the top cap and wait.

After a few hours tiny bubbles will form and rise off one conductor (that’s hydrogen) and even smaller bubbles that just looks like foam will rise off the other (oxygen). I don’t remember which likes the positive and which likes the neg hydrogen or the oxygen.

The third method is more complicated and is what I use for my vehicles. It’s just a modified Joe’s Cell, there’s a step by step DIY guide available to walk you threw the process here http://www.agua-luna.com/hydrogen.html..... It also covers the other 2 methods described in more detail.

The one EV car I currently have (have 2 vehicles that run on hydrogen also) I converted from a vw bug and is free to charge. As I live completely off the grid all my electricity comes from solar panels and 2 wind generators, which I a;sp built.

However I did charge up at Costco in Carlsbad California (I actually only drove up there to fill up) if I remember right it was around $2.00

Here’s a list of other places you can charge up, don’t know if there are any prices though.

http://www.evchargernews.com/#regions...

Not sure if you’re interesting in doing it your self, but I’d be willing to walk you step by step threw the conversion. I've converted 3 of my own cars (a datsun truck, ford ban, and a vw bug) and a few for neighbors. I've also converted cars to run on hydrogen, ethanol and biodiesel, by far EV is the easiest.

If you’re interested here’s what it would entitle…

- The engine compartment is first cleaned out of any gasoline components.

- Electric components are then installed in exchange.

- A battery bank is built and incorporated.

- Existing starter and driving systems are connected.

- Turn the key, step on the gas pedal sending more energy to the electric motor, & thus more power to the drive system, which in return creates more speed, more acceleration.

- The system has normal automotive top speeds and acceleration, typical to the vehicle your modifying. If your top speed was 85 mph and your acceleration was 1 mile per min, then this will be what your left with after the conversion.

The methods are extremely simple, making the process possible for anyone, everyone, ANYWHERE.

Typical tools, hardware & supplies are used, making access to parts available for all.

Electric Conversions can be easily accomplished in ANY model vehicle, even tractors, Generators, types of machinery, etc.

Project lengths range from 1 day to 1 month.

If you’re interested I wrote a guide on it which is available at http://www.agua-luna.com/guides.html...

Hope this helped, feel free to contact me personally if you have any questions if you’d like assistance in making your first self sufficient steps, I’m willing to walk you step by step threw the process. I’ve written several how-to DIY guides available at http://www.agua-luna.com on the subject. I also offer online and on-site workshops, seminars and internships to help others help the environment.

Dan Martin

Retired Boeing Engineer now living 100% Off-the-Grid with my family, using Alternative Energy & loving every minute.

for more info visit agua-luna com or email me at [e-mail]

http://www.agua-luna.com

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