There has been development in the areas of electricity generation. The first power plants were run by water power or coal. We still do rely on coal some but also use petroleum, natural gas, nuclear power, some solar power, and some wind power.
I also think that progress in fuel for vehicles can't even be compared to progress in housing grids. The amount of people who are buying cars made in the 2000's so far outnumber the amount of people living in houses made in the 2000s. Implementing newer technologies with vehicles is just not the same to me.
Stew, did you hear about plans to construct an underwater generating station in the Gulf of Mexico?
In the not too distant past I have read stories about cars powered by compressed air and they all seem to get anywhere from 15 to 30 something miles per tank. Too hear several hundred (or a 1000 for a gas powered/air powered hybrid) seems somewhat unbelievable.
Compressed air is really a form of kinetic energy. In effect, it is not much different then powering a car on a giant rubber band, which is wound up by a super-rubberband-winding-machine at the filling station. It's actually extremely efficient, except there is no way to store large amounts of energy for those long trips.
Chemical methods (fuel or batteries) are capable of energy storage orders of magnitude greater than mechanical (and nuclear is order of magnitudes beyond chemical).
In the not too distant past I have read stories about cars powered by compressed air and they all seem to get anywhere from 15 to 30 something miles per tank. Too hear several hundred (or a 1000 for a gas powered/air powered hybrid) seems somewhat unbelievable.
Compressed air is really a form of kinetic energy. In effect, it is not much different then powering a car on a giant rubber band, which is wound up by a super-rubberband-winding-machine at the filling station. It's actually extremely efficient, except there is no way to store large amounts of energy for those long trips.
Chemical methods (fuel or batteries) are capable of energy storage orders of magnitude greater than mechanical (and nuclear is order of magnitudes beyond chemical).
Right! the thing these guys have figured out is how to not lose energy by the air cooling.
I guess the thing here is the small gas powered compressor is vastly more effecient than a gas engine. I really think this one is going to work. they are fully invested in winning the X prize in 2010.
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!
In the not too distant past I have read stories about cars powered by compressed air and they all seem to get anywhere from 15 to 30 something miles per tank. Too hear several hundred (or a 1000 for a gas powered/air powered hybrid) seems somewhat unbelievable.
Compressed air is really a form of kinetic energy. In effect, it is not much different then powering a car on a giant rubber band, which is wound up by a super-rubberband-winding-machine at the filling station. It's actually extremely efficient, except there is no way to store large amounts of energy for those long trips.
Chemical methods (fuel or batteries) are capable of energy storage orders of magnitude greater than mechanical (and nuclear is order of magnitudes beyond chemical).
If you read the wikipedia article on Air Vehicles and some other legitimate sources you might find it a little more legit. I was very skeptical when I first read the email.
__________________
There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Chuck Norris lives in Houston.
Either the United States will destroy ignorance, or ignorance will destroy the United States. – W.E.B. DuBois
If you read the wikipedia article on Air Vehicles and some other legitimate sources you might find it a little more legit. I was very skeptical when I first read the email.
The good news is there is a time line on this one. they plan on having this car in America, in production by 2009. we have a year to see if there is truth here. But I am with you on this one.
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!
The good news is there is a time line on this one. they plan on having this car in America, in production by 2009. we have a year to see if there is truth here. But I am with you on this one.
I know that you think I'm just a big conspiracy theorist, but I am glad that with the internet and other forms of mass information sharing, this thing can become big outside of the traditional channels. I have to say that I am not necessarily saying that I blame big oil for doing what they are doing. They spend a lot of money on their lobbyists and their relationships with the powers that be, and the certain kinds of technology could destroy them.
__________________
There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Chuck Norris lives in Houston.
Either the United States will destroy ignorance, or ignorance will destroy the United States. – W.E.B. DuBois
I know that you think I'm just a big conspiracy theorist, but I am glad that with the internet and other forms of mass information sharing, this thing can become big outside of the traditional channels. I have to say that I am not necessarily saying that I blame big oil for doing what they are doing. They spend a lot of money on their lobbyists and their relationships with the powers that be, and the certain kinds of technology could destroy them.
Tools like the internet allow you to keep up with the latest no matter who may not want you to, do your own investigations, and not have to rely on newscasts and talking heads. In the past we may not have gotten raw data without spin or agendas.
__________________
There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Chuck Norris lives in Houston.
Either the United States will destroy ignorance, or ignorance will destroy the United States. – W.E.B. DuBois