[LINK] plug-in-hybrid-vehicles and grids

[Richard Chirgwin]

grove at zeta.org.au wrote:
> On Mon, 7 Sep 2009, David Boxall wrote:
>
>   
>> On Sun, 6 Sep 2009 at 14:55:37 GMT stephen at melbpc.org.au wrote:
>>     
>>> In 2010, Ford will sell a plug-in-hybrid-vehicle Ford Transit van.
>>>
>>> ...
>>>       
>> Plug-in-hybrid? That's a new one on me. From what I see, it just
>> combines the disadvantages of hybrids and all-electric vehicles.
>> Obviously someone thinks it's a good idea.
>>     
>
> It all adds to the green conspiracy.
>
>   
>> On a different tack: how come compressed air hybrids get so little media
>> coverage? They're said to be more efficient than battery hybrids, under
>> some conditions. Not sexy enough?
>>     
>
> Not sexy enough.  People want magic pudding machines that release 
> more energy than they put into the system.
>
> The whole "green" thing, when coming from the sources such as Big Oil,
> Big Coal, Energy.com, Motor.corp and so on just makes me want to 
> scream and yell to people not to fall for it.   Planting trees to offset 
> carbon from a rock concert/motor race/etc is just a feel good exercise.
>
> The same applies to all these wonderful new "hybrid" vehicles and 
> so on.   In this case, it just makes Big.corp feel good in the marketing 
> dept and tax breaks.   The early automobiles were already electric  - 
> in 1909 you could buy an electric car and it ran just as well as the 
> petrol driven ones.   Just that it appears that some clever wag realised
> that a whole distribution chain could be profited from by using gas.
>   
Not only that; there is a story (I haven't sought to verify it) that 
Ford originally wanted the T-model to be diesel, so that farmers would 
be able to roll their own fuel. He was convinced to change his mind ...

As I understand the issue with hybrids, you need to keep a light foot. A 
leadfoot just runs the batteries down quick.

Me, I'm working to get back my cycling legs, and I'll start riding to 
the city some time in October.
> I am a complete sceptic regarding "green initiatives" (careful - I am not 
> a global warming sceptic), until a complete new technology stack comes 
> along to replace what is already here, because in the end, 
> coal companies will keep turning anthracite into smoke, oil companies will 
> turn beaches into sumps, motor companies will continue to produce inefficient
> modes of transport that are not obsolescence proof and governments will 
> continue to let them because it suits their own agendas of resource 
> plundering and profit margins etc etc.....
>   
As I see it, governments suffer from a kind of cocktail party syndrome; 
you hear the voice that's nearest to you. And the voices nearest to you 
are those of the industry lobbies.

RC
>
> rachel
>
>