Off Topic: The Thread

[Dick Dastardly]

1 hour ago, Ol' Dirty Noodle said:

They have em in small numbers in Cali right now

Honda too, I think.

[Black Betty]

Can't make something from nothing. Hydrogen takes a bunch of energy to make. It solves the quick refill/recharge problem that electrics have but still just moves the pollution from the tailpipe to the grid. 

As far as automakers cheating on emissions. It's because passenger cars are certified on g/mile or g/km. So everyone drives differently and the drive cycles are no where close to what people consider normal. 

If you really want to make a difference start reducing your energy usage, not finding new ways to power your energy usage. Start car pooling, run the A/C and heat less ect. 

[theForgottenone]

22 minutes ago, Black Betty said:

If you really want to make a difference start reducing your energy usage, not finding new ways to power your energy usage. Start car pooling, run the A/C and heat less ect. 

Are you saying using solar to power your home is not making a difference? Isn't using less from the grid or toward net zero is making a difference.

the best is more people telecommute or work from home. I been doing that for the since 2012.

 

Hydrogen is 3x more inefficient compare to electric vehicles 

http://electrek.co/2016/04/26/automakers-fuel-cell-hydrogen-electric-vehicles/

[Black Betty]

Solar PV is great but look at the process/minerals needed to make the panel. Li-ion is even worse for environmental cost due to the mining that occurs. When do a full life cycle analysis you start to realize there's nothing that's entirely green.

Hydro/wind/tidal seems to be the most green to me, but bottom line is reducing our energy consumption is the biggest way to reduce pollution. 

[andyb5]

Cars are a small percentage of total energy consumed/pollution generated, it's kind of laughable the emphasis that is placed upon reducing emissions and improving energy efficiency in cars yet the larger factors (buildings, industry, etc) are largely ignored by the general public. 

[Timbo Slice]

Nail on the head Andy. The volume of pollution cars put out is laughable compared to some of the plants I've been in that are running around the clock.

[Fudge_Brownie]

10 minutes ago, andyb5 said:

Cars are a small percentage of total energy consumed/pollution generated, it's kind of laughable the emphasis that is placed upon reducing emissions and improving energy efficiency in cars yet the larger factors (buildings, industry, etc) are largely ignored by the general public. 

I wonder what the benefit would be of agreeing to raise AC temperatures of commercial businesses to above like 74 or 76. Seems like in the summer time, so many are oddly cool. I get why they do it, but if they all agreed to do it at the same time, none of them would lose a competitive edge. Granted, probably similar issue as cars in that it's a small piece. But that one seems like such an easy one to accomplish. Of course it'll play out as some bureaucratic disaster, or end up being yet another law as some political ploy.

[Timbo Slice]

Anyone upgrade their v-band clamps for their OBX exhaust system? Some asshole sold me an OBX TBE and didn't include the clamps. Options? There's nothing local that I can find so I'm going to have to order them.

[Brad850]

Someone plus one me so I'm in the lead over Tim for best contributor this week... quick!!

[theForgottenone]

6 hours ago, Black Betty said:

Solar PV is great but look at the process/minerals needed to make the panel. Li-ion is even worse for environmental cost due to the mining that occurs. When do a full life cycle analysis you start to realize there's nothing that's entirely green.

Hydro/wind/tidal seems to be the most green to me, but bottom line is reducing our energy consumption is the biggest way to reduce pollution. 

I agreed on most part.

Elon M stated that Tesla  battery packs will be something like 99.5 % recyclable. Gigs factory is Self sustaining power from wind and solar. 

Regarding wind as energy source.

Not only are federal wind subsidies a colossal waste of money and detrimental to the economy, but they subsidize an industry that is actually harmful to the environment. The alleged goal of incentivizing “green energy” industries is to help protect the environment, but with wind energy comes a slew of environmental problems. For example, it is estimated that wind turbines in the U.S. kill up to 328,000 birds annually, and, last year alone, wind turbines killed 600,000 bats. What’s more, the amount of land needed for wind farms to be effective is staggering. For New York City to be powered by wind alone, every square meter of Connecticut would need to become a wind farm.

For example, we cannot control when or how much the wind blows, and it just so happens that it tends to blow when we need it least. On average, wind energy facilities operate at just 30 percent of their capacity and must be backed up by more reliable forms of energy such as natural gas

 

In short, there isn't one perfect solution to energy issue.  It take a lot electricity to refine the crude oil that millions of ICE car currently need.

5 hours ago, andyb5 said:

Cars are a small percentage of total energy consumed/pollution generated, it's kind of laughable the emphasis that is placed upon reducing emissions and improving energy efficiency in cars yet the larger factors (buildings, industry, etc) are largely ignored by the general public. 

Tell that to China.

But if nobody is taking action toward making a small change, there won't be any difference.  Just like tossing a starfish on the sandy beach, at least that one will survive another day.

[Fudge_Brownie]

5 minutes ago, B850 said:

Someone plus one me so I'm in the lead over Tim for best contributor this week... quick!!

[Kevin.]

3 hours ago, andyb5 said:

Cars are a small percentage of total energy consumed/pollution generated, it's kind of laughable the emphasis that is placed upon reducing emissions and improving energy efficiency in cars yet the larger factors (buildings, industry, etc) are largely ignored by the general public. 

+1

 

public transportation and shipping is where the focus should be, IMO

[Brad850]

That's cold fudge. Luckily I had an immediate plus one from a source that I won't disclose.

21 vs 19... you mad Tim?

[Timbo Slice]

I honestly have no idea what you're talking about.

[andyb5]

2 hours ago, Kevin. said:

public transportation and shipping is where the focus should be, IMO

Swing and a miss Kevin. 

In the US, buildings are responsible for roughly 50% of energy use (~75% total electricity) and generate roughly 50% of CO2 emissions. Globally, those numbers get higher