To crap with the Chevy Volt

[LMNO]

will you guys just sodomize each other with a crowbar and get it over with? Plus, ECH has it right; creation of energy isn't the problem. Put yr money in battery tech.

[Jasper]

http://www.designfax.net/news/archive/04-24-2007/stories/feature-5.asp

Nanophosphate cells also have the unique ability to charge to high capacity in 5 min or less. A significant improvement over conventional Li-ion (the average recharge typically requires 90 min or more), the fast-charge capability lends a new level of convenience for users of cordless products and practical electric drive/propulsion vehicles. M1 nanophosphate cells can also aid applications in laser designation systems, transmission power sources for micro sensors, non-lethal electric weapons, aerospace/ground engine start systems, distributed jamming systems, and a many more.

These babies rock.  I should have mentioned them earlier because they're the sort of battery you might use to get crazy mileage on an Electric Vehicle.

[East Coast Hustle]

Energy can be stored in all kind of creative ways.

One somewhat odd idea is to have spare energy lift a heavy weight.  The weight remains suspended until energy is needed, then released on a flywheel to generate electricity.

Another way is to have spare energy power hydrogen synthesis machines that turn water into oxygen and hydrogen, and store the hydrogen.  Hydrogen storage is imperfect, because hydrogen atoms are the smallest atoms it tends to leak out of things, albeit somewhat slowly.

There are lots of ways to store hydrogen though.  There's a wiki on it.  But the point remains, you'd only need to store enough to last you the night anyway, and any that leaks out will just go back into the atmosphere.

should I assume you have stopped taking this conversation seriously, or should I ask you for some of whatever you're smoking?

[Jasper]

Hey, I said it was an odd idea, but it works.  Can't really argue with that.

[Jasper]

Jesus, I feel like I'm the only one who's taken this discussion seriously so far.  Nigel was mostly just interested in saying my penis was small and now I'm told I'm on drugs for mentioning an effective but nonstandard method of energy storage. 

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

will you guys just sodomize each other with a crowbar and get it over with? Plus, ECH has it right; creation of energy isn't the problem. Put yr money in battery tech.

Well, yes. There's a reason that a "perfect battery" is sort of an energy Holy Grail.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Felix, I just think you're way off in la-la land right now. You're looking at all of the putative technologies with so much theoretical potential and imagining that it will all be realized within a few years and the energy landscape will be vastly different. I'm looking at all of the putative technologies and realizing that, as has been the case with each and every exciting new putative technology for decades, each of them in practice will bring us only a single small increment closer to the goal of truly efficient energy.

So instead of arguing with your sweet freshman optimism, I cast frivolous insults.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I am pleased that you remembered the small penis barb,  though, because I was pretty happy with slipping that stereotype in and I'm glad that it made an impression.

[Jasper]

Felix, I just think you're way off in la-la land right now. You're looking at all of the putative technologies with so much theoretical potential and imagining that it will all be realized within a few years and the energy landscape will be vastly different.

Sigh, forget I said anything.  I've tried to point you to existing, proven technologies half a dozen times and every time you say it doesn't exist or isn't real.  I give up on you.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Felix, I just think you're way off in la-la land right now. You're looking at all of the putative technologies with so much theoretical potential and imagining that it will all be realized within a few years and the energy landscape will be vastly different.

Sigh, forget I said anything.  I've tried to point you to existing, proven technologies half a dozen times and every time you say it doesn't exist or isn't real.  I give up on you.

Wut

I didn't say it didn't exist or wasn't real, I said that it isn't being widely or affordably implemented and I'm too practical and realistic to assume that it WILL be, or even that it CAN be based on the limited real-world application so far.

But you can give up on me if you wish, because honestly I don't think you're trainable.

[Jasper]

Energy can be stored in all kind of creative ways.

One somewhat odd idea is to have spare energy lift a heavy weight.  The weight remains suspended until energy is needed, then released on a flywheel to generate electricity.

Another way is to have spare energy power hydrogen synthesis machines that turn water into oxygen and hydrogen, and store the hydrogen.  Hydrogen storage is imperfect, because hydrogen atoms are the smallest atoms it tends to leak out of things, albeit somewhat slowly.

There are lots of ways to store hydrogen though.  There's a wiki on it.  But the point remains, you'd only need to store enough to last you the night anyway, and any that leaks out will just go back into the atmosphere.

should I assume you have stopped taking this conversation seriously, or should I ask you for some of whatever you're smoking?

Are you going to leave it at that?  I'd like to hear why you don't think it'd work.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I also think you're a tender thing.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Do you know what the word "putative" means?  Do you even have a firm grasp on the topic? What is your major, again, and what year are you in? Maybe you should go find a bookstore and look for some 10-year-old issues of New Scientist.

[Jasper]

I also think you're a tender thing.

I operate on respect.  Call it a principle.  Don't expect me to reply to your posts if all you're going to do is talk down to me for no reason.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]