interesting alt-energy advances for those things whose name we dare not speak
So I've just come across two interesting car-related alternative energy updates.
The first has to do with biodiesel, which is a very cool advance that's gaining a lot of momentum. A Cambridge, MA based company is trying to make systems of algea that turns power plant emissions into biodiesel. Talk about killing two birds with one stone! (no offense, Daniel). I love this shit. My only worry is that any technology that reduces the impact of environment-destroying plants will make it harder to kill these antiquated beasts since people will think they can justify them.
The other news is that a Welsh company has made a totally new kind of electric engine that doesn't use magnets and produces butt-loads of torque. These are really cool kinds of inventions that make me excited. Now all we need is fusion...
my impression was that diesel
Submitted by dkg on Sun, 2005-06-05 22:12.
my impression was that diesel engines actually have intrinsically lower CO2 and CO emissions than typical gasoline engines, but that their particulate matter (PM) emissions are significantly higher than gas engines.
While CO2 is a major greenhouse gas, and CO is directly toxic (it's the main active gas in running-the-car-in-the-garage suicides), PM is a leading cause of asthma and other auto-pollution-related morbidity. Urban Sprawl and Public Health covers this distinction fairly well (and has a lot of endnotes, which would probably be useful for further research), but my own understanding of the physiology and chemistry and engineering behind the differences is still pretty sketchy.
Whose name do we dare not spe
Whose name do we dare not speak? Hmm, i'm not sure If i'm up for this dare...
It turns out the the farmer here at the East Lake Commons Co-Housing (where i'm currently at) is using biodiesel to run their tractor. Apparantely he is supplied by a small-scale operation run by one guy in Atlanta who collects the contents of fast-food restaurant's grease traps. I haven't seen the tractor in operation so I couldn't tell you if it smells like french fries.
Seems like the principal behind bio-diesel is a good one, particularly if it can take waste material such as used vegetable oil and reuse for fuel. I'm curious though about the CO2 emissions, it seems like there is no reduction in CO2 from the combustion side, but only on the fuel production side. Correct me if i'm wrong on this, but it's only the absorption of Carbon by the plants (or algae) that is providing a reduction in overall emission vs. conventional diesel? You're still releasing Carbon, but the net amount is reduced when the abosption in the production process is considered.
It's too bad the automobile and energy industries (as well as government) are so slow to adopt alt-energy solutions. I suppose the economic incentives have to be altered drastically for that to happen.
I understand your concern about prolonging the use of conventional coal power plants, but I think that if the new algae technology can significantly reduce the emissions, then we should by all means use it even if it prolongs these plants. I don't forsee a feasible way of transitioning completely off of these anytime soon considering the growing demand. Alt-energy at present can only supplement and not yet replace. Americans would have to actually have to start taking active steps in conservation for that to happen.