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Monthly Archives: June 2008

Four Simple Steps Towards Energy Independence

It all seems so simple.  All we need to do as a nation is to ween ourselves from over-seas oil.  Here are four simple steps, go tell your elected officials to start getting serious. 

1) Prominently increasing North American energy supplies, thereby increasing energy security (technologies include frontier hydrocarbon technologies such as gasification, including hydrogen production; gas-to-liquids; tar sands, oil sands, and other heavy crude extractive and processing technologies)

2) Providing additional nonhydrocarbon supply options (ethanol1, biodiesel, wind and solar)

3) Moving towards globalizing a regionally limited natural-gas market to reduce risks associated with supply and price (LNG)

4) Reducing emissions of greenhouse gases (new emission-free supplies such as nuclear, wind, solar; more efficient end-use technologies such as hydrogen fuel cells and advanced technology vehicles; reduced emissions from hydrocarbon usage such as coal gasification, cogeneration and deployment of CO2 capture and sequestration technologies and strategies).

Mercedes, Smart to Sell Electric Cars in 2010

Daimler has announced that it is jumping on the growing electric car bandwagon, with plans to roll-out a Mercedes-Benz and Smart EV in 2010.

As far as the Smart model goes, there is currently a fleet of 100 first-generation Smart electric cars running in London, and it’s a fair bet that the new cars will be at least roughly based on these.

No decision has been made regarding the price for the EV models. According to Zetsche, “That depends on whether we sell the batteries with the car or lease them. The willingness (on the part of consumers) to pay more is limited.”

read more | digg story

Energy Independence

Starting in June of 2008, I have relaunched z-car.com as a forum to help inform car enthusiasts about our need for energy independence.  I am interested in what alternatives we have, and how we can express our concerns to our elected officials in the government.

How can we transition to a clean, renewable energy and transportation economy?

I would like to see:

  • Policy solutions to accelerate early deployment and market development for hydrogen and fuel cell, biodiesel, and biomass-to-energy technologies
  • Research and advocacy in support of renewable hydrogen and renewable diesel, particularly from waste biomass
  • Opportunities to demonstrate and deploy hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles in tandem with hydrogen fueling infrastructure
  • Development of a standard for pure biodiesel for use as a fuel
  • Options for policy directives to convert agricultural waste into energy in a cost-effective manner
  • Government agencies, businesses and other non-profit organizations understanding the needs, merits, and pathways to the renewable fuels economy
  • Old Land Rover 107

    I think I need one of these…  If you have one, let me know.

    Land Rover

    68 Million Acres

    So, the Dems would have you believe that the oil companies are sitting on land, hording all the oil. Well, you know why they are not producing oil from those 68 million acres? Because there is NO oil on that land! Oil companies lease the land, in hopes that when they do geological studies and drill exploratory wells, that they may find oil. If they do, great they pump it out if they can do so profitably. If they don’t find oil, they let the leases expire, which they do within 5-10 years.

    The Democrats are using this issue as a smoke screen. Instead of focusing on the real issue, they are playing games with the future of our country.

    Semi-Green Car

    Hopefully this will help start us down the path of energy independence.  While this does not solve all of our problems, at least some of the car companies are making an effort.

    http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/

    FCX-Clarity_L4A5119a_lg