When will we see this?

[Triathlete]

When will the HighWire be built? If it is already in concept you'd think they would be producing these like hotcakes...but of course they'd have to get rid of all their oil company stock first!

[tomdietrying]

Sorry to say it probably will not happen in our life-time.

There's too much dinero still to be made burning fossel fuels.

Here's my prediction---10-15 years down the road when this could happen, a study will come out saying there might be a hazzerdous stituation if these types of vehicles got into a highway crash. What they won't tell you is it will be the oil companies financing the study.

Peace.
Tom

[transio]

HyWire (Hydrogen-powered, drive by wire)

[Ruflyf]

Sorry to say it probably will not happen in our life-time.

Here's my prediction---10-15 years down the road when this could happen

tom, I dunno about you but I plan on living for more than 10-15 more years hehe

[Joe_Black]

Hydrogen is probably the worst alternative fuel out there due to the extreme amount of energy required to produce it, so unless some major technological breakthrough is made in hydrogen synthesis these type of vehicles are mere concepts.

[transio]

Hydrogen is probably the worst alternative fuel out there due to the extreme amount of energy required to produce it, so unless some major technological breakthrough is made in hydrogen synthesis these type of vehicles are mere concepts.

What about Honda's solar powered Hydro-station concept?

[Joe_Black]

What about Honda's solar powered Hydro-station concept?

It's far, far more energy and material intensive than squeezing oil out of seeds or fermenting vegetable matter. Biofuel is old technology, like over a hundred years old, and it kicks hydrogen's arse to the curb.

[Maugan_VX]

I admit to being quite ignorant when it comes to alternative fuels, however, I casually heard that one of the problems with biofuels is the sheer amount of biological material to produce the needed amount of biofuel. Something like 10 acres of corn = 1 gallon of usable biofuels.

I scoffed at that, because I realized that people wouldn't be looking at biofuel as a legitimate alternative if it was so inefficient to produce.

[Joe_Black]

I admit to being quite ignorant when it comes to alternative fuels, however, I casually heard that one of the problems with biofuels is the sheer amount of biological material to produce the needed amount of biofuel. Something like 10 acres of corn = 1 gallon of usable biofuels.

I scoffed at that, because I realized that people wouldn't be looking at biofuel as a legitimate alternative if it was so inefficient to produce.

There are many, many opponents of biofuels. Primarily because it would take money out of their hands or those they represent. Yields vary over different crops, but it's much more efficient than that especially when conbined with sustainable farming and processing techniques. For example, with biodiesel you can get anywhere from 50 gallons an acre with soy beans or 650 gallons an acre with oil palm. Ethanol is even more efficient as you're simply fermenting vegetable matter. Almost anything will work, from corn to grass, just some plants yield better fermentation than others. I seriously researched producing ethanol from molasses which is a sugar production waste available locally for about $60 a ton last I checked. IIRC, that ton of molasses would've yielded nearly a thousand gallons of 190 proof ethanol.

Unfortunately the general public takes the popular media as gospel, never looking at more than one spoon-fed source of information. The biofuel realization is growing, but it is slow and suffers from those hyping false claims to make a buck.

[iamjacksadrenalgland]

interesting topic, but rest assured, gentlemen, there are more oil/gas reserves left untouched than you could possibly imagine.

i'm a stimulation engineer for the leading oil technology company on the planet. we and a few other companies are the only ones who have access to the reservoir data (proven and unexplored) for all the major gas producers. sharing that information with other companies or any group interested in determining what's left would hurt their ability to maximize profit.

it's kinda like how apple slowy releases bigger and better ipods to maximize profit.

so don't pay much attention to those estimates of remaining reserves, because they're only for PROVEN production reservoirs, meaning what's already been drilled and confirmed. that only makes up a small fraction of known reservoirs and, of course, does not taken into account undiscovered reservoirs.

[Joe_Black]

Very good point and information!

But you know, the real issue isn't how much petroleum is really out there, but the fact we've never needed it to begin with. It just happened to be a commodity that some very cunning people managed to hook the world on like so much mega-crack.

[kpaske]

Yes, I'm not so worried about the "oil running out". I'm more concerned with the reliance on foreign sources of energy and the environmental consequences of exhausting non-renewable natural resources. I'm sure all the oil tycoons can relax but we consumers should have been concerned a long time ago, like during the last oil crisis in the 70's.

[Spike]

Of course, notice how gas prices dropped at least 30c a gallon less than 2 weeks AFTER labor day...

We are being manipulated and cant do a dang thing about it...

[tbigity]

Of course, notice how gas prices dropped at least 30c a gallon less than 2 weeks AFTER labor day...

We are being manipulated and cant do a dang thing about it...

That...or it is the national trend. After labor day = rapid decrease in travel/vacationing and an obvious increase of back-to-school (a TON of car pooling). Like anything else in the world, petroleum is a product. Albeit the leading factor in the CPI, but a product nontheless, and therefore subject to the same laws of supply and demand. The supply stays the same, but the demand curve shifts to the left IE prices drop.