MdKnightR Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 What I'd like to know is why we have synthetic oil, but not synthetic gasoline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev7 Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 Ever wonder why we haven't figured out how to run our cars on something else besides fossil fuels? The thing is, we have. For a while. Hydrogen Powered: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_EUm3eqyHE Further info: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8stApCmxYEM Air Powered: Well, the there are several things that pop-uo into my head. One, they are too expensive for everyone. I will explain a little bit more of that later on in my post. Second, there is the factor of it being unpractical. Unpractical-- I have a large family myself (currently 6 people) and something that small is unpractical for large families. I really don't think that there is much more to say other than this. Expensive-- As I said, it is unpractical, for large families. Lets assume that my family members are all of legal driving age and each get one of these vehicles lets say for $15,000. That is $90,000 just right there! Way too expensive. I wish that they were much less. :/ -- One of my more recent teachers told us that he thinks that the hydrogen engine is already been made. But the companies have paid them off... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nedak Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Expensive I believe the video was made some where around the 80s. I'm pretty sure if more research went into it, it could be done much cheaper. One of my more recent teachers told us that he thinks that the hydrogen engine is already been made. But the companies have been paid-off... Clearly it has been made as the video shows it. I heard somewhere however that the man in the video died. I'll have to look into that more though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev7 Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 I believe the video was made some where around the 80s. I'm pretty sure if more research went into it, it could be done much cheaper. True, but it will most likely still be expensive. :/ Clearly it has been made as the video shows it. I heard somewhere however that the man in the video died. I'll have to look into that more though. Yes this is true, but why don't the majority of people have one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Web Rider Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 What I'd like to know is why we have synthetic oil, but not synthetic gasoline. I'm pretty sure it's because synthetic oil has little or no octane to be refined from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nedak Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Yes this is true, but why don't the majority of people have one? The Oil Companies would go out of business, which is also bad for the government. There is no way they would allow it to happen unless they could profit from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Det. Bart Lasiter Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 The Oil Companies would go out of business, which is also bad for the government. There is no way they would allow it to happen unless they could profit from it.Pfft, it's bad for the oil companies. And anyways, I'd rather have the government go through some tough times times than **** up the planet beyond the point of it being livable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev7 Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 The Oil Companies would go out of business, which is also bad for the government. There is no way they would allow it to happen unless they could profit from it. That is exactly my point. "One of my more recent teachers told us that he thinks that the hydrogen engine is already been made. But the companies have paid them off..." That is what I meant in my original post. Sorry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nedak Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 ^ Gotcha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Jones Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Solar thermal chimneys are rarely known, but they may be the best means of builind solar thermal plants on a huge scale. They even could generate power at night because the ground would retain a significant amount of heat. Solar thermal chimneys are quite simple: a 2000 foot chimney in the center of an area covered by a canopy would produce a wind current through the chimney.I'm not sure if it's a good idea to create constant air streams and stir up winds which are not there naturally. Actually, I am pretty sure it is a bad idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Jones Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 To use the alternative energies at big scale levels, they'd have to be provided constantly and with secured supply. As of now this is not possible, or has not been done due to massive costs. I mean, why produce a huge amount of alternative energy, when almost no one has a car or whatever to use this energy? Many people still want big strong cars, and while they are obviously willing to pay tons of money for big cars and the gas they need, they are obviously not willing to invest that money in alternative methods to drive a car just because it cannot reach a top speed of X in 4 seconds like the a gas driven car. The only way to handle peoples stupidity is to make the old technology so expensive that it makes the new technology interesting to the common human being, despite all its "drawbacks", which is what we see happen today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Web Rider Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 The Oil Companies would go out of business, which is also bad for the government. There is no way they would allow it to happen unless they could profit from it. Actually, oil companies are not so foolish as to limit their options. Oil companies are not about producing oil and supplying a nice demand. Oil companies are about producing profit. They will sell whatever turns the most profit for them. If solar energy provides bigger revenues than oil, they'll do it. There are several oil companies that are investing in wind power because putting up wind farms generates them more money then drilling, processing and shipping oil products. So yes, nothing will happen until oil companies feel there is more profit in non-oil-based tech than oil. However, with the rising cost of oil, non-oil-tech is starting to look better every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcesious Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 This site always seems to always have lots of interesting stuff in relation to the environment and whatnot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nedak Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Actually, oil companies are not so foolish as to limit their options. Oil companies are not about producing oil and supplying a nice demand. Oil companies are about producing profit. They will sell whatever turns the most profit for them. Of course, but I don't believe that Oil Companies could profit as much from Water or Air as they can from Oil. when almost no one has a car or whatever to use this energy? Actually, I read that the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Engines could easily be retrofitted to your car. It wouldn't be a new car you need, but new "organs" if-you-will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Jones Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Yes, but it would still cost much money, often almost more than the car's actual value. "Retro-fitting" basically means you keep the old stuff and add the new stuff, which means more weight, thus a loss in power and range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Web Rider Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Of course, but I don't believe that Oil Companies could profit as much from Water or Air as they can from Oil. depends, oil/gas power facilities need to be constantly fed fuel, wind and solar do not. While there is a higher one-time cost to build the thing, there is an overall lower cost of not needing to operate drilling, refining, and shipping facilities to feed it oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nedak Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Yes, but it would still cost much money, often almost more than the car's actual value. "Retro-fitting" basically means you keep the old stuff and add the new stuff, which means more weight, thus a loss in power and range. Not so much as keeping everything old. You're pretty much just taking out everything that the car doesn't need with the hydrogen fuel cell (example: Engine, new battery, etc.). depends, oil/gas power facilities need to be constantly fed fuel, wind and solar do not. While there is a higher one-time cost to build the thing, there is an overall lower cost of not needing to operate drilling, refining, and shipping facilities to feed it oil. So what you're saying is that other facilities will still need oil? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Web Rider Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 So what you're saying is that other facilities will still need oil? Perhaps I am reading you wrong, but I don't quite grasp your question... Will "other facilities", such as solar and wind need oil? Well, technically, yes they will, though it will be in much smaller qualities and due to being rather small and refined parts, synthetic oil could probably be used. The difference between an oil power plant and a solar one would be like the difference between how often you change you oil in your car vs how often you fill the tank. And in the amounts used. You put tens of gallons in your tank on a bi-weekly basis, you put a few quarts in your engine on a bi-annual basis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nedak Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Perhaps I am reading you wrong, but I don't quite grasp your question.... Maybe we're reading eachother's wrong. I was asking if that's what you were saying since I didn't get your point in your previous post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Web Rider Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Maybe we're reading eachother's wrong. I was asking if that's what you were saying since I didn't get your point in your previous post. no, I was saying that solar and wind would be more profitable because they would allow the elimination of the support structures that go with an oil-based plant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nedak Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 no, I was saying that solar and wind would be more profitable because they would allow the elimination of the support structures that go with an oil-based plant. Ooh okay, my bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev7 Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Actually, I read that the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Engines could easily be retrofitted to your car. It wouldn't be a new car you need, but new "organs" if-you-will. The question is, why isn't anyone using them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth_Yuthura Posted July 22, 2008 Author Share Posted July 22, 2008 I have another power source... electricity. The only catch is that it would be used for mass transit more than anything. NY is the best example of this. Large power plants are more efficient than smaller ones... so use a universal power source for an entire grid of electric trains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth_Yuthura Posted July 22, 2008 Author Share Posted July 22, 2008 I'm not sure if it's a good idea to create constant air streams and stir up winds which are not there naturally. Actually, I am pretty sure it is a bad idea. The wind current is simply directed to a single location... it's nothing more than hot air, which is lighter than cooler air. It doesn't make a difference to wind currents. Hot air always rises above cooler air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nedak Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 The question is, why isn't anyone using them? Again. Oil Companies and the Government would not make nearly as much profit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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