[Dean's World] Dean: A Look At Various Alternatives to Gasoline

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Posted by Dean:
A Look At Various Alternatives to Gasoline
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1146026049.shtml


   Popular Mechanics has a pretty reasonable look at [1]several fuel
   alternatives to gasoline. It was a pretty good article, although I had
   a few frustrations with it.

   My #1 frustration was that they only mention corn as a source for
   ethanol. They don't mention that other plants can produce far more
   ethanol than corn can, nor do they even contemplate the possibility of
   using genetic modification to boost the fuel-bearing capacity of some
   of corn or other plants.

   They also state: "Only 2.3 percent of the nation's electricity comes
   from renewable resources...." Presumably, they've fallen for the old
   trick of believing that nuclear energy is non-renewable, when in fact
   it is highly renewable. It gives off far fewer pollutants than most
   forms of power generation too, including solar--and yes, that's
   including the radioactive waste.

   If were intelligent, we'd be drawing 90% of our electricity from
   nuclear, with fuel provided by highly protected breeder reactors to
   the rest of the non-breeder reactors in the country (and world). It
   would make 100% electric vehicles much more practical and economical,
   and would help spur hydrogen fuel cell vehicle development too.

   Sadly, most Americans remain deeply fearful of nuclear power, as if
   it's powered by ghosts or demons or something. And any effort to
   educate them on the issue is demonized as "nuclear industry
   propaganda."

   (Link via [2]Der Professor.)

References

   1. http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/earth/2690341.html?page=1&c=y
   2. http://instapundit.com/archives/029910.php