Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Gas 2.0

Gas 2.0

ZeaChem’s Wood-to-Ultra Cheap Fuel Process Validated

Posted: 21 Apr 2010 02:05 PM PDT

Last Summer I brought you word of the potential for ethanol made from woody crops such as poplars with a yield of up to 2,000 gallons per acre… per acre. That’s enough fuel for something like 3 average cars per acre per year. On top of that, the process could result in ethanol cheaper than $1.00 per gallon without any government support.

And today ZeaChem, the company behind this groundbreaking process, announced that they have successfully completed a crucial step in converting wood to ethanol, proving that their core technology works and is commercially viable.

(more…)

Are Electric Cars Really a Risky Business Strategy? The Big Picture Says Otherwise

Posted: 21 Apr 2010 11:10 AM PDT

As we get closer to the impending launch of the next generation of electric cars from manufacturers like Nissan, Mitsubishi, Ford, GM, Tesla and Fisker, the chorus of commentators claiming they will be a flop and are likely to never pay back their investment for the automakers that choose to build them is getting larger.

In the past couple months alone I’ve seen two rather high profile “parade rainers” — from Forbes and Ward’s Auto — come right out and say they think electric cars are an overly risky business bet which the overwhelming odds favor losing. But I don’t think these folks are looking at the big picture and they haven’t gotten their minds around the reality of our situation.

Once you take these things into consideration, EV manufacturers have nothing to worry about. (more…)

UK Drivers Plan Mass Protest Over New Gas Taxes

Posted: 21 Apr 2010 08:59 AM PDT

Summer is right around the corner once again, and with warmer weather comes higher gas prices. It is already $3 a gallon in many places in the U.S., and our demand for gas has already set a record for the month of March. Still, even at $4 a gallon, America pays less per gallon of gas than many European countries. One need only look at our proper cousins across the pond to see some truly terrifying gas prices.

Prices in the United Kingdom recently topped $7.00 a gallon (about $1.90 per liter), not because of lack of supply or the cost per barrel going up… but because of taxes. And frankly, it seems like drivers in the UK are fed up as they plan to protest and block gas stations across the country.

I respect civil disobedience if it gets the point across. It sounds like UK drivers are trying to do just that by foregoing the purchase of petrol on May 1st to protest new gas taxes signed off by Prime Minister Gordon Brown. These new taxes have made it so the government collects $4.42 on every gallon of gas sold. I know that taxes are an effective way of reducing ones carbon output, and that the most dramatic way to get people to change their habits is to hit them in the wallet. But at a time when the global economy is still recovering, and many people are struggling to find employment, $7 a gallon for gas is… well, it is a lot.

(more…)

Fiat 500 To Get Four Doors For America?

Posted: 21 Apr 2010 08:51 AM PDT

My father surprised me the other night when he told me how much he loves the Fiat 500. Strange words from the man who has pretty much lived in a pickup truck for the past two decades. He is in good company though, as the Fiat 500 is one of the best selling cars in Europe. And Fiat is betting the car will sell well here in America too.

As part of its strategic alliance with Chrysler, Fiat is going to start building the 500 in Mexico, and selling them in North America. It will be the first Fiat to be sold in America in decades, and it could one day be offered with four doors… just for us!

(more…)

California Offers Funds to Turn Cargo Boats into Hybrids

Posted: 21 Apr 2010 08:47 AM PDT

Cars catch a lot of flak for pollution, but they are not the only source of manmade greenhouse gas emissions by a long shot — cargo ships, airplanes, trains, even cows and industrial farming make the list too. Many of the same technologies that are being tried out to improve auto emissions may also be used on other forms of transportation.

Large cargo boats are amongst the dirtiest polluters and, considering much of the world’s populations lives along the coasts, they can have a mighty detrimental effect on the health of the population. In light of this, the California Air Resource Board (CARB) is soliciting a proposal for a grant for up to $1 million to hybridize current marine vessels.

(more…)

Ecos “Fun!” Electric “Jeep” Has 100 Mile Range, Reasonable Price

Posted: 21 Apr 2010 08:34 AM PDT

If you’ve been reading Gas 2.0 for awhile now, you probably know I am a big Jeep fan. I like my Wrangler for its versatility and reliability. It is also a great conversation starter, because it seems like every other vehicle I see is a Wrangler (what else might you expect from a farm town). My Wrangler gets terrible gas mileage though, and I have secretly longed for a diesel engine or even an electric motor.

The Ecos Fun! is not a Wrangler. Nor does it appear very versatile, seeming more like a glorified golf kart. But Ecos claims the Fun! has a 100 mile range and a top speed of 70 mph, all starting at $24,995 — very reasonable if you ask me. And it sorta looks like a Jeep.

(more…)
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)