Comments on: Under the Hood, a Hod of Coal or a Cord of Wood http://www.jrganymede.com/2011/07/27/fill-up-your-car-with-a-hod-of-coal-or-a-cord-of-wood/ We endeavor to give satisfaction Tue, 22 May 2012 23:29:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Update http://www.jrganymede.com/2011/07/27/fill-up-your-car-with-a-hod-of-coal-or-a-cord-of-wood/comment-page-1/#comment-40536 Update Tue, 02 Aug 2011 19:45:43 +0000 http://www.jrganymede.com/?p=5539#comment-40536 http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/273285/fuel-efficiency-wager-robert-zubrin# http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/273285/fuel-efficiency-wager-robert-zubrin#

]]> By: Vader http://www.jrganymede.com/2011/07/27/fill-up-your-car-with-a-hod-of-coal-or-a-cord-of-wood/comment-page-1/#comment-40118 Vader Fri, 29 Jul 2011 17:22:02 +0000 http://www.jrganymede.com/?p=5539#comment-40118 That's correct. And we can get all the electrical power we need from nuclear, supplemented by solar, if the political barriers can be overcome. The trick is getting liquid fuel for transportation, which is where methanol may be of help. That’s correct. And we can get all the electrical power we need from nuclear, supplemented by solar, if the political barriers can be overcome.

The trick is getting liquid fuel for transportation, which is where methanol may be of help.

]]> By: Man SL http://www.jrganymede.com/2011/07/27/fill-up-your-car-with-a-hod-of-coal-or-a-cord-of-wood/comment-page-1/#comment-40108 Man SL Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:41:38 +0000 http://www.jrganymede.com/?p=5539#comment-40108 <i>As it is, a significant fraction of our electrical power is obtained from oil. </i> The major inputs for methanol production would be coal and natural gas, which can be burned directly to produce electricity. As it is, a significant fraction of our electrical power is obtained from oil.

The major inputs for methanol production would be coal and natural gas, which can be burned directly to produce electricity.

]]> By: Zen http://www.jrganymede.com/2011/07/27/fill-up-your-car-with-a-hod-of-coal-or-a-cord-of-wood/comment-page-1/#comment-40076 Zen Fri, 29 Jul 2011 08:08:44 +0000 http://www.jrganymede.com/?p=5539#comment-40076 As it is, a significant fraction of our electrical power is obtained from oil. If we could retool them to burn methanol instead, that would make the transition much easier. At least, it would require us to import less. As it is, this whole scenario is presently uncomfortably similar to the civilization extinction stories in Jared Diamond's Collapse. No body ever thinks it will happen to them, I expect. As it is, a significant fraction of our electrical power is obtained from oil. If we could retool them to burn methanol instead, that would make the transition much easier. At least, it would require us to import less.

As it is, this whole scenario is presently uncomfortably similar to the civilization extinction stories in Jared Diamond’s Collapse. No body ever thinks it will happen to them, I expect.

]]> By: Vader http://www.jrganymede.com/2011/07/27/fill-up-your-car-with-a-hod-of-coal-or-a-cord-of-wood/comment-page-1/#comment-39921 Vader Thu, 28 Jul 2011 03:41:30 +0000 http://www.jrganymede.com/?p=5539#comment-39921 These are challenges that might be met. I am all for incremental improvements, and methanol might well provide superior tradeoffs to its alternatives. But I am a bit allergic to panaceas. Perhaps there is a form of snake oil that cures all ills. I'm betting it has a lot of unpleasant side effects. These are challenges that might be met. I am all for incremental improvements, and methanol might well provide superior tradeoffs to its alternatives. But I am a bit allergic to panaceas.

Perhaps there is a form of snake oil that cures all ills. I’m betting it has a lot of unpleasant side effects.

]]> By: Adam Greenwood http://www.jrganymede.com/2011/07/27/fill-up-your-car-with-a-hod-of-coal-or-a-cord-of-wood/comment-page-1/#comment-39916 Adam Greenwood Thu, 28 Jul 2011 03:23:42 +0000 http://www.jrganymede.com/?p=5539#comment-39916 Thanks for the knowledge, Vader. Thanks for the knowledge, Vader.

]]> By: Vader http://www.jrganymede.com/2011/07/27/fill-up-your-car-with-a-hod-of-coal-or-a-cord-of-wood/comment-page-1/#comment-39898 Vader Wed, 27 Jul 2011 23:24:24 +0000 http://www.jrganymede.com/?p=5539#comment-39898 Methanol has some problems, including the safety risk from its almost invisible flames; its rather broad explosive concentration range; its toxicity; and its corrosiveness. But at least methanol is being argued on its technical merits, not on its political correctness. Which gives it a big plus up on (for example) biodiesel. Methanol has some problems, including the safety risk from its almost invisible flames; its rather broad explosive concentration range; its toxicity; and its corrosiveness. But at least methanol is being argued on its technical merits, not on its political correctness. Which gives it a big plus up on (for example) biodiesel.

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