The Great Oil Debate of 08

Zack · 06-23-2008, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onthefence

Cliff notes perhaps?

I came in late on the Book TV introduction of his book but from what I saw he was an equal opportunity basher on energy positions... he beat up on both parties with pretty good reason and logic. Guess he wants to sell books and to do so with his subject you need to have an argument against the majority of America's thought process of tree hugging or me first.

Zack · 06-23-2008, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baloney_detector

(Fossil fuel and electric heating and standard electric air conditioning systems are significantly less efficient at heating and cooling a home than geothermal heating and cooling systems. So, if a homeowner is to install geothermal heating and cooling in their home today and invest in solar cell technology in seven to ten years from now, he or she could potentially “live off the grid” in the future while, at the same time, spend less money to heat, cool, and power their home in the future.)

While in an alternative energy group in NC back in the 70's our group built a geodesic dome from very inexpensive materials. We made triangles out of the thin electric conduit pounding them flat with hammers to form the triangles with small bolts. Then we stretched lath wire over the triangles and covered it with a thin coat of mortar... on top of that we made concentric circles of re-barb and then tied vertical re-bar similar to latitude longitude lines on a globe... and made a crescent form on a hinge... we filled the form with concrete on one side and let set and then on the other side and let set and then alternated until the form was raised to the top completing a steel reinforced concrete half egg shell... On the inside we sprayed foam insulation and when finished we could heat the 25 foot diameter dome with a hundred watt light bulb. We had one door and two windows on the south side of the dome.

I think FEMA should insist that homes destroyed by tornadoes be replaced by such structures, likewise in hurricane planes with high ground these structures could withstand anything nature sends it way... Not very pretty but entire communities could be created on elevated land base then cover the domes with dirt and plant grass on top... leave passageways between home lanes for streets and face all windows and doors facing south for natural lighting and cooling. Temperatures in caves are constant to the average of annual temperature or about 64-66F. The interior could be finished with standard sheet-rock walls with square walls leaving hidden space behind the walls for closets and storage. No heating or cooling bills with low cost construction... sounds better than giving them checks to build another stick house to blow away the next year. Welfare housing should be mandated to be constructed in this manner since no heating or cooling support would ever be necessary... no concerns for wards of the government being harmed by severe storms.

Have you ever did the egg test? Nature's strongest design... Science Project for Kids To Show Egg Strength

Zack · 06-24-2008, 11:02 AM

I watched this guy on C-SPAN this morning and I think he has some great ideas... check out this link Forbes presents New Manhattan Project on CNN | Bearing Drift

highway80west · 06-30-2008, 05:29 PM

About oil and gas: according to the July/Aug 2008 AAA Westways Southern California Lifestyle magazine, page 46 said that the purchasing power of the federal fuel tax has declined from 18.4 cents to 14 cents. Where does that show at the pump?

Zack · 07-03-2008, 03:20 PM

This is interesting... It was on tv yesterday...

YouTube - Glenn Beck's Real Story - Energy Independence

intangible child · 07-03-2008, 04:24 PM

YouTube - Run you car on water and nothing else.

YouTube - Proof that a car can run on water- no more gas!

Zack · 07-03-2008, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by intangible child

YouTube - Run you car on water and nothing else.

YouTube - Proof that a car can run on water- no more gas!

I can't say for certain but I think this is a hoax. If you google it there are a lot of spam offers to sell kits.

I used to post on an alternative energy site and I noticed they had a discussion on the subject the Otherpower.com Discussion Board || Homemade hydrogen? these folks are serious tree hugers and most of them are on top of the alternative energy since they live off grid for the most part.

I went to Home Power Magazine because I remembered reading a link there that dealt with people making hydrogen in their back yard. Couldn't find the link but did find a link to a real source of factual information here Hydrogen Energy Center if you contact them I'd bet you they can dispel this or endorse it as fact. If any readers of this thread are interested in alternative energy I would highly recommend you visit the Home Power Magazine website. They are one of the best magazines on alternative energy in print... they offer loads of free information and downloads.

tadpole256 · 07-03-2008, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knot_e_lady

Great, Zack, are you volunteering your back yard to dump all that nuclear waste?

Nuclear power does not produce that much waste, there is an improportionately large stigma around it. And whereas it does produce some waste, it is cleaner than any current (viable) alternative.

baloney_detector · 07-04-2008, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zack

My environmental friendly micro hydro electric system goes as follows:

Concept:Using the governor's energy task force above that contains an efficient low cost technical/functional workforce develop a system that meets several community needs including fresh water, flood control and sustainability with low impact on the environment.

Water from higher altitude reservoirs would be placed in high volume steel pipes to small community reservoirs. Water, going down hill creates head pressure that continually multiplies. At each community place a hydro electric turbine on the pipe to capture the horsepower created by the head pressure. Water collected from the bottom of the community reservoir is drawn from the bottom of the reservoir through a combination of aggregate and sand to serve the water purification for the community. But in this case half of the water would be diverted to the next community where the process continues to communities at lower elevations. For example, management of flooding and water needs of lower altitudes could be from a high altitude state like Colorado at 5,000 feet to communities at all lower elevations to Texas. Or from Michigan to Florida resulting in abilities to move excess water from one region with too much to another like Atlanta last year that had too little.

While I'll admit that this idea has some merit in some situations, it may not be practical in other situations simply because water looses pressure with every foot of pipe that it must be transported through no matter how much head pressure exists at the entrance to said pipe and even if said pipe is laid in an entirely vertical position.

This is still a good idea, however, depending on the circumstances.

baloney_detector · 07-04-2008, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zack

While in an alternative energy group in NC back in the 70's our group built a geodesic dome from very inexpensive materials. We made triangles out of the thin electric conduit pounding them flat with hammers to form the triangles with small bolts. Then we stretched lath wire over the triangles and covered it with a thin coat of mortar... on top of that we made concentric circles of re-barb and then tied vertical re-bar similar to latitude longitude lines on a globe... and made a crescent form on a hinge... we filled the form with concrete on one side and let set and then on the other side and let set and then alternated until the form was raised to the top completing a steel reinforced concrete half egg shell... On the inside we sprayed foam insulation and when finished we could heat the 25 foot diameter dome with a hundred watt light bulb. We had one door and two windows on the south side of the dome.

I think FEMA should insist that homes destroyed by tornadoes be replaced by such structures, likewise in hurricane planes with high ground these structures could withstand anything nature sends it way... Not very pretty but entire communities could be created on elevated land base then cover the domes with dirt and plant grass on top... leave passageways between home lanes for streets and face all windows and doors facing south for natural lighting and cooling. Temperatures in caves are constant to the average of annual temperature or about 64-66F. The interior could be finished with standard sheet-rock walls with square walls leaving hidden space behind the walls for closets and storage. No heating or cooling bills with low cost construction... sounds better than giving them checks to build another stick house to blow away the next year. Welfare housing should be mandated to be constructed in this manner since no heating or cooling support would ever be necessary... no concerns for wards of the government being harmed by severe storms.

Have you ever did the egg test? Nature's strongest design... Science Project for Kids To Show Egg Strength

Although I wouldn't personally mandate such an idea, I think it is certainly in a homeowner's interest to have their home designed in a fashion that makes it more "green."

Heck, something as simple as using more insulation in a standard home will lower a homeowner's energy costs.

And, if you ask me, I think the simple economics of today's energy situation will tend to start making people think twice about how they will design and build their future homes.