Gas Prices and You

Nabisco said:
Thats pretty cool Xodus, I didn't realize that CA had electric filling stations. I'd love to see the US go nuclear, similar to France, in that its all Federally regulated instead of each plant being so damn different. But thats off topic.
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If you haven't seen it, the documentary "Who killed the electric car" is pretty damn interesting...
 
Nabisco said:
I have blockbuster online, so I'll see if I can find it and definitely give it a check out.
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They have it. I already put it on my list with another of similar documentaries. Go to Amazon and look up the film. It will list a number of other interesting documentaries you can also find at Blockbuster.
 
Guess what? Stockton now has 2 claims to fame. It WAS the #1 city for foreclosures and now it has the highest average gas prices in the nation. $4.48. Damn it sucks here.
 
DGSky said:
How have you changed your life to deal with the ever increasing gas rates? What chnages do you plan to take?
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I got a Honda Fit, very good on gas. Might get a motorcycle as well depending on how the summer goes. Also planning to move closer to work at the end of the year. Once that happens I may get myself a new bike, pedal type.
 
Nabisco said:
Agreed to the extent that its still years down the road to make it a viable solution. But where do you think the majority of the electricity that you are using to recharge that battery comes from...non-renewable resources. I say majority, because wind power, solar power, and interestingly enough wave power (oceanic), and hydro-electric are all small sources as well.

I think the research of renewable sources of energy is still in its infancy.
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I'd just offer to folks (not you Nab. I know you know cuz you is a ChE) that where in the hell are we going to get all the electricity so that 200+ million Americans can charge their Tesla's? (Or whatever electrical car you want to imagine.)

We have rolling blackouts in parts of the US during the summer now. I can't imagine adding the demand to charge an electric car that is widespread in it's use.

Those upgrades to the electrical infrastructure will cost a sh*t-ton of money. Money most communities aren't wanting to budget. Seems it takes a serious electrical demand issue to upgrade the infrastructure. (Doesn't surprise me. Run to failure.)

Add those incremental costs to that of the electrical car when valuing it relative to gasoline.
 
jmh80 said:
I'd just offer to folks (not you Nab. I know you know cuz you is a ChE) that where in the hell are we going to get all the electricity so that 200+ million Americans can charge their Tesla's? (Or whatever electrical car you want to imagine.)

We have rolling blackouts in parts of the US during the summer now. I can't imagine adding the demand to charge an electric car that is widespread in it's use.

Those upgrades to the electrical infrastructure will cost a sh*t-ton of money. Money most communities aren't wanting to budget. Seems it takes a serious electrical demand issue to upgrade the infrastructure. (Doesn't surprise me. Run to failure.)

Add those incremental costs to that of the electrical car when valuing it relative to gasoline.
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Not sure if the CA rolling blackouts are still happening, but from what I remember of them, it was due to Elec. Co's selling/exporting power to outlying states for more $$ than what californians were paying. The blackouts didn't have anything to do with infrastructure, they had to do with greed.
 
There are infrastructure issues, I think. I'm not a EE though.

I'd have to talk to some of those folks.

I know our part of Baton Rouge is STRAINING (which includes the refinery). I think if we started up every pump and motor at the same time - it would dim the lights in the entire parish (if not do more than dim).
 
jmh80 said:
There are infrastructure issues, I think. I'm not a EE though.

I'd have to talk to some of those folks.

I know our part of Baton Rouge is STRAINING (which includes the refinery). I think if we started up every pump and motor at the same time - it would dim the lights in the entire parish (if not do more than dim).
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My guess is the first alternative energy processes to really take off will be those which can be implemented with little to no hassel, like solar and other alternatives for the home.
 
Usf97j4x4 said:
hehe... eat your words!
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I don't think in daily terms. I'm not a NYMEX guy. I don't trade and all that stuff.

I think in terms of months at best. More likely years.

Projects for chemical/oil companies are measured in 20 to 30 year lifetimes. Not days bro.

Re-read that with that time frame in perspective.
 
CDB said:
My guess is the first alternative energy processes to really take off will be those which can be implemented with little to no hassel, like solar and other alternatives for the home.
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Except at this point solar panels are fairly expensive to purchase, install, and integrate into your house's power system. Not to mention solar panels are still at best 40% efficiency in the most expensive models. Production models that you could use for your house are closer to 28% efficiency. I'm not trying to bash your idea, and I do believe solar energy can become feasible, just not at our current technological advances.
 
One solution that I believe shows promise in the future if it can be shown to be economically feasible is Micro-Algae to biodiesel.

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Squeaks4ver said:
Here is an interesting story about some oil issues...


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I would be very surprised if we see gas near or below $2/gal again...
 
if they fall to about 30 bucks a bar. as he suggests.. then i am sure it will.. take away taxes that will be put on by uncle sam...

I think he hits the nail on the head when he says the 1 to 2 buck oil finds do not exsist... but the 20-30 bucks are more than there... it just takes more money in the short term to get at them... and that is what we are paying for now.. the tools and the tech to get that oil
 
DOE: Expect gas close to $4 through next year

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:frustrate
 
It has changed my life and driving patterns alot. I no longer make trips that I dont need to make. I will only fill my car up once a week. When the gas/oil prices started going crazy a few years back I pulled most of my money out of stocks and began purchasing gold/silver/energy stocks and mining stocks. I dont see this situation getting any better and in my opinion I would be horrified if we attacked Iran. I am convinced if we attack Iran our economy will collapse.
 
Crude supply could get better. Governments chose not to let that happen.

This includes our own. (Iraq is perhaps another story. Not sure their government is to blame for the continued lower production levels.)
 
machine528 said:
It has changed my life and driving patterns alot. I no longer make trips that I dont need to make. I will only fill my car up once a week. When the gas/oil prices started going crazy a few years back I pulled most of my money out of stocks and began purchasing gold/silver/energy stocks and mining stocks. I dont see this situation getting any better and in my opinion I would be horrified if we attacked Iran. I am convinced if we attack Iran our economy will collapse.
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I don't think that we are going to attack Iran. However, I would not be surprised to see Israel attack Iran before Bush is out of office.

If that happens the speculators are going to have a field day.
 
Dadof2 said:
I don't think that we are going to attack Iran. However, I would not be surprised to see Israel attack Iran before Bush is out of office.

If that happens the speculators are going to have a field day.
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Already in the works...

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jmh80 said:
Crude supply could get better. Governments chose not to let that happen.

This includes our own. (Iraq is perhaps another story. Not sure their government is to blame for the continued lower production levels.)
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Do Iraq's reserves tend toward the sweet or sour side?
 
Honda makes first hydrogen cars

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Honda plans to produce 200 of the cars over the next three years.

One of the biggest obstacles standing in the way of wider adoption of fuel-cell vehicles is the lack of hydrogen fueling stations.

Critics also point out that hydrogen is costly to produce and the most common way to produce hydrogen is still from fossil fuels.

Analysis of the environmental impact of different fuel technologies has shown that the overall carbon dioxide emissions from hydrogen powered cars can be higher than that from petrol or diesel-powered vehicles.
 
Xodus said:
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Honda plans to produce 200 of the cars over the next three years.

One of the biggest obstacles standing in the way of wider adoption of fuel-cell vehicles is the lack of hydrogen fueling stations.

Critics also point out that hydrogen is costly to produce and the most common way to produce hydrogen is still from fossil fuels.

Analysis of the environmental impact of different fuel technologies has shown that the overall carbon dioxide emissions from hydrogen powered cars can be higher than that from petrol or diesel-powered vehicles.
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That's true, but logistics comes into play as well. It's likely easier to deal with the GHG output of X number of power plants through filtering and what not, that 10000*X vehicles. Plus there are alternatives like nuclear to supply that power.
 
CDB said:
Do Iraq's reserves tend toward the sweet or sour side?
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Like Saudi - I think both. But a bit more on the sweet side, which is commanding a BIG premium over sour crude. On the order of like $7 per bbl from what I read.
 
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