Interesting article...

[black roadster]

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/Featur...life_after_oil

Regarding energy in the future.

Thoughts?

[altiain]

Sounds entirely plausible to me. However, this statement:

It will use more energy than it produces. (Quite the opposite.)

...makes me cringe. Nothing can produce more energy than it consumes - to do so would violate the First Law of Thermodynamics.

A more scientifically correct explanation would be that Mr. Buskis' process converts the stored chemical energy of any carbon-based substance into a form that humans can then use to do work.

Still, no mention is made of what the cost per barrel of oil is using that process - there are an almost infinite number of exotic technologies that can produce oil, but not a single one of them is going to be economically viable until the crude oil futures price is higher than whatever the cost of the technology is.

[rx7gslse]

I suppose it's conceivable... but I dunno about economic either..

And yeah, I don't really trust that writer at all... HE just seems liek he's repeating what he heard some other guy say and filling in parts with his own made up theories.

"Right now, if you can live with a top speed of 25 mph and a maximum daily range of 30 miles, you can run all about town in a fairly affordable electric car."

Ok, he's a bit behind on that fact.

And is the 3rd section his concept of electricty and units is way outt whack..
"This is especially amazing because--let's face it--solar cells are not much good yet. For $600, you can get one that produces 120 watts of electricity--enough to power two light bulbs. An average American household uses 2,000 watts (or more) of electricity a day. You'd need at least $12,000 worth of equipment to power all your household needs on sunlight."

Kilowatt-hour anyone?

[Treibenschnell]

For $600, you can get one that produces 120 watts of electricity--enough to power two light bulbs. An average American household uses 2,000 watts (or more) of electricity a day. You'd need at least $12,000 worth of equipment to power all your household needs on sunlight.

But if you figure over the regular lifetime of a home there would be a substantial amount saved.

[altiain]

Hmm... let me rephrase my statements above. The first page sounds entirely plausible (oil from carbon-based sources), but I didn't realize there were other pages. I'm almost afraid to read them - physics, science, and journalism usually don't mix well.

[altiain]

But if you figure over the regular lifetime of a home there would be a substantial amount saved.

I think what rx7gslse was trying to point out was that the author has his units of measurement all screwed up. It would be like me telling you that your car got 20 miles.

[Treibenschnell]

I got ya....


You have to remember alot of these "journalists" regurgitate what is given to them in press releases... their "science" is whatever may be the hot topic lately...

[black roadster]

You have to remember alot of these "journalists" regurgitate what is given to them in press releases... their "science" is whatever may be the hot topic lately...

Yup. Still an interesting article though.