I have a theory that if solar power were to take off it would become extremely cheap. Much like what has happened with computers. ie my first DOS machine was an 8088 w/256mb RAM no hard drive and a 300 baud modem. It cost me about $1000 with a 8pin ?? printer. That was October 1987. Today I can get a 2 gig duo processor with all kinds of goodies for about $700. Think if solar did the same. A solar panel would cost dollars... or maybe cents.... Dan Lund wrote: Oh If I could only have a Linux-powered motorcycle engine running on solar! On Fri, May 9, 2008 at 7:59 AM, keith smith wrote: > Why not solar power? The sun shines strong in Arizona! > > > > Mike Garfias wrote: > > On May 9, 2008, at 3:39 AM, Robert N. Eaton wrote: >> I, too, think ethanol is a remarkable fuel for racing. It burns cool, >> it allows very high compression ratios, and it produces very high >> specific outputs for a given capacity engine. >> >> BUT, it contains about one fourth as many calories as gasoline, pound >> for pound. This means that to reach a certain power output, the engine >> needs four times as much ethanol. One author I read stated that there >> just isn't enough arable land in the world to support our energy habit >> on an ethanol economy and still allow us to eat. >> >> Bob Eaton >> > > Its more like 67% not 25% (23.5MJ/L vs 34.8MJ/L). You also make up > for some of that with the efficiency boost from running higher > compression. As a racing fuel goes, gasoline (specifically a racing > formula high in toluene or xylene) is a better fuel than ethanol. In > the turbocharged F1 days, they were running nearly straight toluene in > order to run the massive boost levels that gave approximately 1000hp/ > Liter. > > Toluene is 114 octane, vs ethanols 116, but has a higher energy > density. Xylene has toluene's energy density combined with 117 octane. > > Also, a lot of the studies that show ethanol is bad thing are based > on a corn derived ethanol. The process is inefficient (1 unit of > energy in gives 1.34units out). Brazil uses sugar cane derived > ethanol which gives 8 units for every one going in. The only reason > we're doing it with corn is because of the corn lobby and its federal > subsidies. > > If they can ever get cellulosic ethanol production to ramp, all the > left overs from farming, cutting the lawn, your old veggies, etc could > be used. > > Again, ethanol isn't a bad idea, its just being done stupidly. Which > makes me suspect that it might be done this way to tighten up the > global food supply to raise prices and keep the US in power as the > "world leader". > > --------------------------------------------------- > PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: > http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss > > > > > ------------------------ > Keith Smith > (520) 207-9877 > PHP Programmer > > ________________________________ > Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it > now. > --------------------------------------------------- > PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: > http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss > -- Thanks, Dan Lund --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss ------------------------ Keith Smith (520) 207-9877 PHP Programmer --------------------------------- Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now.