Revolver Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 hopefully the future will bring the ever recharging car whereby the car will be driving along using an electric motor powered by a battery which is being charged by a generator hooked up to the wheels. THe laws of physics says that's impossible Because energy is required to move the car, then the energy is used from the electricity. So if the car could recharge the same energy, that would mean the total energy put back into the battery is greater than the energy expended (otherwise the car uses no energy to move, or the battery depletes) thus meaning energy is gained from an outside source, or if not, it is created, which is impossible according to physics: energy can only be changed between different types. It cannot be created or destroyed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Scarlet Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 I was about to add Hydrogen, surprised no-one brought it up yet. The science text books at my school (quite old ones), say that fossil fuels should have run out by now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 As soon as someone figures out how to split water into its raw elements, they are RICH RICH turns out it's ridiculously difficult. But anyway, if anyone does chemistry, see what can be done. Oh, and I want 5% 5% would be enough for me to buy microsoft. That's how rich you would be! * * removing the reliance on petrol would actually get you assassinated by shell-oil or southern oil or bp or america. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZeroMatt Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 As soon as someone figures out how to split water into its raw elements, they are RICH RICH turns out it's ridiculously difficult. But anyway, if anyone does chemistry, see what can be done. Oh, and I want 5% 5% would be enough for me to buy microsoft. That's how rich you would be! * * removing the reliance on petrol would actually get you assassinated by shell-oil or southern oil or bp or america. Electrolysis? You mean artificially replicating photosynthesis I think. That's a hell of a task, well to do it efficiently anyway. As a power source fission is the way to be going until other systems become efficient enough. There have been some developments in altering algae to produce a cellulose that can be turned into ethanol, these organisms theoretically require only 3.5% of the area that would be taken by crops that can be harvested and turned into ethanol. Seems interesting although this has been around since 1998 or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abe Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Regarding alternitive energies, I'm pretty sure the deal at the moment is that: Wind Power - Expensive and no one wants them nearby. The majority of suitable locations have already been used, and it makes up less than 10% of the energy produced. Wave/Tidal power - Already used all possible locations, makes up about 5%. Solar energy - Not very efficient, expensive to set up and impossible to have industrial scale ones. So basically, those particular methods have been used to or near their maximum, with the current technology available. I'm unsure on how well biofuels rate so I havn't listed them, though from what I gather its only going to make up ~10% energy produced, maximum. Just too labour intensive at the moment, and you need a whole lot of field to make enough power to run a power station for a year... I personally think the only way is either bite the bullet and go Nuclear (but what will the long term effects of having all the radioactive waste lying about in the future? Who the f**k would want to live next to a nuclear power station? What about events such as Chernobyl? These all need to be figured out) or something ground breaking needs to be discovered. in response to wind power. Its the people that moan we are using to much crude oil that complain about wind farms locally to me, theyve got to comprise somewhere surely?! makes you think though, and it would be a hammerblow to all the power hungry countries, although theyd find something else to argue about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davetrials Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Ill be well dead by then and or probly still not driving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavyn. Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 THe laws of physics says that's impossible Because energy is required to move the car, then the energy is used from the electricity. So if the car could recharge the same energy, that would mean the total energy put back into the battery is greater than the energy expended (otherwise the car uses no energy to move, or the battery depletes) thus meaning energy is gained from an outside source, or if not, it is created, which is impossible according to physics: energy can only be changed between different types. It cannot be created or destroyed. exactly but really it's possible to get very close to it so you may only have to recharge the battery 1 or 2 times per year. we shall see what technology the future brings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 in response to wind power. Its the people that moan we are using to much crude oil that complain about wind farms locally to me, theyve got to comprise somewhere surely?! makes you think though, and it would be a hammerblow to all the power hungry countries, although theyd find something else to argue about. Probably more of a hammer-blow to expanding countries like Saudi Arabia and places like Dubai which are funded exclusively on oil money. When global oil reserves drop to the extent they're not financially viable, the West will still be on top technologically and in terms of arms and so on, yet the Middle East, which is currently funded by oil money, will be f**ked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZeroMatt Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 exactly but really it's possible to get very close to it so you may only have to recharge the battery 1 or 2 times per year. we shall see what technology the future brings. Maybe if you somehow manage to negate friction from all the different mechanical processes required to drive the wheels and you somehow also are able to make sure that there's no external forces acting on the car slowing it down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Electrolysis? You mean artificially replicating photosynthesis I think. That's a hell of a task, well to do it efficiently anyway. As a power source fission is the way to be going until other systems become efficient enough. There have been some developments in altering algae to produce a cellulose that can be turned into ethanol, these organisms theoretically require only 3.5% of the area that would be taken by crops that can be harvested and turned into ethanol. Seems interesting although this has been around since 1998 or something. Electrolysis would do it, but as you say, its inefficient with water so it could never work well enough to power a car. But think, pure oxygen makes stuff burn very quick. Hydrogen is the most volatile/explosive/reactive substance around. Imagine hydrogen going off in pure oxygen... You'd get a scooter engine more powerful than a car. The plus side is, hydrogen + oxygen = water, so when you split the water, then ignite the products, you get more water, which is theoretically an infinite fuel source. exactly but really it's possible to get very close to it so you may only have to recharge the battery 1 or 2 times per year. we shall see what technology the future brings. Haha, you're a clever one! Yeah, it would be the same with the water if you could split it. You'd only have to top it up every once in a while Some electric cars are pretty quick nowadays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Duck Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 (edited) Don't know if its already been said, but... I was having a 'current affairs' sort of chat with my economist dad and my uncle who is/was vice chairman of Goldman Sachs. Discovered that this is yet another topic they could talk me to death on... All the 'easy oil' has been found. Oil companys are going to have to make some serious effort to locate more, although there is more. Crude oil is at 135 USD (give or take a little bit) a barrel currently (media along with everybody else was going crazy when it reached $100). Goldmans reckons its going to reach $200 per barrel, stay there, then eventually go back down pretty quickly. This is making people holding, say $10m in oil stocks that they bought 6 months ago, to keep holding on to it. Bit of a no-brainer, do you sell it now to stop people getting annoyed, or do you wait a bit longer and line your pockets..? Obvious. So these fat cat oil stockists will hold on to this oil as long as they can so they can make the most money out of it. However, because there are so many of these people holding oil stocks, what will inevitably happen, due to their own greed, is - They'll wait as long as they possibly can to sell, so as soon as the market shows any sign of devaluing - they sell up. With all these people selling up their huge stocks of oil at the same time, the price will fall because there will be so much supply, and the same old constant level of demand. My dad flipped my thinking around by saying that - Short term, everybody is wingeing about high petrol prices. Long term, this is making car companys/any body else who fancys it put A LOT of thought and serious money into researching new ways to run things i.e. batteries etc (bit more complicated than batteries, but you get the idea). Thats probably been f**king hard to read because I'm writing this at way past my bed time, but trust me - I'm talking sense. Edit: Hahahaha Just found out on google that my uncle is non-executive director of Yell Group PLC (Thats yellow pages to you and me). Looool. Edited June 2, 2008 by Quackers!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeNNy Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Not been reading the topic.. BUT. Who watched Something for the weekend this weekend?? They had this converter thing which converted FAT OIL.. you know the oil from cooking etc. yeah but anyways, it converts the oil to diesel and apparently it's all safe and been tested. The converter was priced at about £2500 though! Would be great if someone watched it as I've forgotten the name of it Heh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 It used to be cheaper, but then the government stepped in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Arnold Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 anyone reccon compressed air is a possibility to power cars? in the same way that air drills work? saying that, i dont know how much energy is used in actually compressing the air in the first place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hI-OOPS-CAPS Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 anyone reccon compressed air is a possibility to power cars? in the same way that air drills work? saying that, i dont know how much energy is used in actually compressing the air in the first place! renewables just cant sustain economy, and arent as easily used to produce usuable energy and thats why we resorted to fossil fuel in the first place id imagine. huge investments will be made though and id think itll be by exxon + shell etc to expand into other areas. as for compressed air, the motor used to turn a piston could just be used to turn the wheels instead (obviously not that simple). but id have to say hydrogens the next this for vehicles apparently the government want power in the area of 20GW supplied by a massive offshore windfarm by 2020. and also whats a nimby? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anzo Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 We'll all be in biker gangers terrorizing people in the desert and starting wars for the last remaining engery sources...if Mad Max 2 is anything to go by. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 and also whats a nimby? Not In My Back Yard. Someone who doesn't want things happening near them, for example a wind turbine - they'd go insane saying they want it to be put elsewhere. Part of the reason they're put at sea. The main reason being, winds are stronger at sea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted June 19, 2008 Report Share Posted June 19, 2008 Hmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fathopper Posted June 19, 2008 Report Share Posted June 19, 2008 Wind power, no one really wants them on their land right? So what if you put them next to a motor way? Like so all the wind created by the rushing traffic could help to power them? Or is this a tottally stupid idea? I think the latter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hI-OOPS-CAPS Posted June 19, 2008 Report Share Posted June 19, 2008 Wind power, no one really wants them on their land right? So what if you put them next to a motor way? Like so all the wind created by the rushing traffic could help to power them? Or is this a tottally stupid idea? I think the latter can just whap them out at sea. much more wind. the contribution of wind by vehicles is minimal i would say. hydrogens where its at though. my mate (quite reputable) said oil companies have been making people threatening the oil companies with renewable energy just dissappear. its like the oil companies have hitmen or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fathopper Posted June 19, 2008 Report Share Posted June 19, 2008 When the oil does run out, its not just a question or petrol and diesel what about oil lubricants for the car to run without seizing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_addison Posted June 19, 2008 Report Share Posted June 19, 2008 So what if you put them next to a motor way? Like so all the wind created by the rushing traffic could help to power them? Surley that wouldnt work because the turbines are quite high up. So the wind created wouldnt reach to drive the thurbines thus not creating electricity? Or is that equally stupid theroy?? Also where would you put them? Places like Norway are going to be alright. My science teacher told us about the massive oil reseves they have from the north sea. He also told us about how they've started generating there power stations. basically they create like a waterfall type thing with a big turbine sitting directly at the bottom. The force of the falling water drives the turbine which then heats the water up in a big tank and then further along the line creates power. Cant quite remeber how power stations work but you get the idea But i think that if everyone had a solor panel on top of there house it'd make things alot easyier in the long run. Abit un-realistic but a good idea. Surley some of the power generated would power some of the electricity for the house to run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted June 19, 2008 Report Share Posted June 19, 2008 its like the oil companies have hitmen or something. Course they do. The dude who made the water burning conversion for a car, if he tried to mass-produce his device as an engine and sell it to car companies, I wouldn't be surprised if he went. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonMack Posted June 19, 2008 Report Share Posted June 19, 2008 Hmm. "Software tycoons fund genetic production of Oil 2.0" Brilliant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulianC Posted June 19, 2008 Report Share Posted June 19, 2008 We'll just have to walk everywhere or cycle. Shouldn't think anything else would change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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