Posted on 08/19/2006 7:56:28 PM PDT by nicollo
Brazil's Road to Energy IndependenceWith a national program that has cost that country untold wealth and waste over the last 30 years, they've only managed to replace 40% of gasoline use. Worst, the petroleum equilibriuim that the article lauds has come from new oil finds, not less use.
They managed to replace that much gasoline because because they primarily use diesel for transportation fuel. Ethanol provides about 15% of their fuel needs.
Brazil Sugar Ethanol Update February 2006, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service
Brazil gained their energy independence the same way we should, by producing their resources. The crude oil production is nearly 8 times what it was 25 years ago.
good post.
But dollars per mile are only part. I have 5 kids. There is a reason for minivans, and pickup trucks.
Of course we used to by 9 seat station wagons, but that class was destroyed by a raise taxes. A 9 seat station wagon chassis gets taxed at a higher rate than the larger, heavier Minivan truck chassis.
Gee. Nailed that one, eh. Just like Weird Algore predicted Global Warming would destroy the earth in ten year. Just don't point out to him that he made that prediction 15 years ago.
That's not to mention the flies.
When I'm weary, down and out, I'll remember to practice my "strenuousity"... :)
BTU/pound
The real problem was that they put diesel cylinder heads on an otherwise near-stock gasoline block; like playing baseball with eggs.
Back then, driving a car was an adventure, not a chore.
You just described a fuel dragster engine; high-pressure fuel pump to feed the injectors and a roots blower to cram the air in alongside the fuel.
Great horsepower, lousy fuel mileage.
Did you ever see a lonely hackney driver with a tailpipe burn?
The real problem now, as I see it, is the cocaine addiction to fuel taxes by state and federal governments : they don't WANT innovative CxHx answers, or any of several possible alternate energy answers. The energy picture is JUST FINE with them the way it is are now, GET THE MONEY, and, DON'T ROCK THE GRAVY DISH is their mindset. Fuel taxes is their SACRED CASH COW, like cows in India : not to be touched. But history will one day catch up to them, oil power will join steam power as a minor part of the energy equation. The only question I have is : will it take armaggedon to wake them up to their GREED, and the consequences thereof?
Do you honestly believe those taxes and royalties would not be replaced by something else we would also ultimately pay?
Fuel taxes go to the states to pay for roads, with a ten percent skimming by the Feds for the bureaucracy and another I-don't-know-how-much diverted to mass transit and various eduction, fulfillment, DWI, safety, etc. "programs" around the country. Tires, diesel and heavy truck sales are taxed as well. And yes, its heavy pork. You should read the appropriation sometime: amazing. It's kinda like the AOL web searches database -- just about anything goes.
Thackney is right: even if petrol is phased out, they'll find something to tax. Your argument is actually one used against tolls: if every road was pay-as-you-go what'd be the use for fuel taxes? (They get rid of them.... not.) Also, if automobile haters had their way, there'd be none of that juicy fuel tax cash to build light rail.
I don't see any objection from the tax-addicts in phasing into alcohol or bio-diesel. Electricity and fuel cells are more complicated from that point of view. Anyway, I really don't see tax policy as driving this question.
What if you had independent energy sources for your car and home that were not CxHx or other taxable commodities? How then would they get your money or other valuables? With a gun? A cop/taxman is a guy with a gun who takes money from people, yes? A high energy density electric battery would go a long way towards doing that independent energy source, Dr Mills of blacklightpower.com claims to have developed just such a battery.
They sure don't get tailpipe burn...
... at least not after 1910.
LOW OIL This Should Help Explain It All...
A lot of folks can't understand how we came to have an oil shortage here in our country.
Well, there's a very simple answer. Nobody bothered to check the oil. We just didn't know we were getting low. The reason for that is purely geographical. Our OIL is located in: Alaska California Coastal Florida Coastal Louisiana Kansas Michigan North Dakota Oklahoma Pennsylvania Texas Wyoming
Our DIPSTICKS are located in Washington DC
Any Questions?
So, who's gonna pay for the roads once Dr. Mills escapes with his patent from the dungeon over at Exxon/Mobil?
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