Towards a Sane Energy Policy

Posted by: AzBlueMeanie

I am pleased that GOP Spartan agrees that the "McClinton Gas Tax Holiday Gimmick" is a bad idea and recognizes that the Bush administration’s weak dollar policy and reckless fiscal mismanagement of our economy, including the doubling of our national debt over 7 years, is largely responsible for our present economic condition.

The last time gasoline was below $1 gallon was in February 1999, according to the Energy Information Agency.  The Clinton administration maintained a strong dollar policy.  1999 was the first time we had a balanced federal budget in over 30 years, and was the beginning of federal surpluses projected to pay off the national debt by 2010. 

GOP Spartan’s solution to our energy problem, however, is more exploration for oil so that we can all continue doing what we have always done; no need for us to change our wasteful ways.  Doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result is the definition of insanity.

All of the presidential candidates at one time or another have stated that we need a "Manhattan Project" or an "Apollo Project" to develop new energy technologies to achieve energy independence.  The implication is that this new energy technology exists only in theory and is not presently commercially available, and that the federal government must invest billions of our tax dollars by way of tax incentives to auto manufacturers, for example, for research and development of this new energy technology.

This is misleading.  With respect to auto manufacturers, new energy technologies exist today in various stages of development and commercial use, and some of the technology has been with us for years.  It is opposition from the auto manufacturers and the oil industry which depend upon the gas internal combustion engine for their profits who have resisted and prevented the commercial availability of these new energy technologies over the years.

The majority of oil is refined into gasoline or diesel fuel for use in vehicles.  Increasing fuel efficiency and gas mileage is critical to reducing demand for oil.

In the late 1970s, a scientist by the name of Victor Wouk had developed plans for an experimental hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) for the newly created Department of Energy (DOE).  Working together with an electrical engineer by the name of David Arthurs, the pair used off the shelf components in an Opel GT which was able to achieve 75 m.p.g.  As I recall, it received much media attention at the time.  I understand that Mother Earth News still owns a 1980 version of the vehicle which reportedly achieved 84 m.p.g.

Around this same time, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the Department of Transportation (DOT) began building and testing some 60 experimental vehicles under its Research Safety Vehicle (RSV) Program.  The experimental vehicle developed by NHTSA achieved 32 miles to the gallon in 1978 and was able to protect its occupants in a full frontal barrier impact at 50 mph and in side impact and rollover crashes at 40 mph without significant risk of occupant injury.  DOT was committed to demonstrating that fuel economy (CAFE) standards of 40-50 MPG could be met with cars that had 50 MPH crash protection (better than any car on the road today).  But when the Reagan Administration came into office, DOT suddenly reversed course and opposed higher CAFE standards.  The experimental RSV vehicles were ordered destroyed. Three vehicles were preserved at the headquarters of DOT until 1990, when the remaining vehicles were ordered destroyed.  If you are interested in learning more, see The Center for Auto Safety

The Clinton administration initiated the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV) in 1993 with the auto manufacturers and DOE.  Auto manufacturers produced new HEV technologies under PNGV and began rapidly moving prototypes to their production lines.  The best known of these prototype vehicles was the General Motors EV1, the first commercially available all-electric car.  A little over 1,000 EV1s were produced by G.M. before the company pulled the plug on the project in 2002 allegedly due to "insufficient demand."  Others claim the EV1 was intentionally sabotaged by GM to preserve its more profitable line of vehicles, particularly gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs.  If you have not seen the documentary film "Who Killed the Electric Car?," I highly recommend it.  Who Killed the Electric Car? NOW | PBS

Clinton’s PNGV program was replaced by the hydrogen-focused "Freedom Car" initiative of the Bush administration.  This technology is years away from safe, cost-effective commercial availability.

Advances in electric car technology have continued, however.  Most manufacturers now offer a "hybrid" vehicle with the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic hybrids leading the way in gas mileage performance.  There are also now hybrid retro-fit kits available for many vehicles.

In December 2007, Toshiba announced the commercial launch of the SCiB, the Super Charge lithium-ion Battery, a breakthrough rechargeable battery primarily targeting the industrial systems market that can recharge to 90% of full capacity in less than five minutes. The battery offers excellent safety and a long-life cycle of over 10 years, even under conditions of constant rapid charging.  Toshiba : Press Releases 11 December, 2007   Toshiba plans to initially make the quick-charging Super Charge lithium-ion Battery for electric bikes, forklifts, construction machinery and other industrial uses. Toshiba said the lithium-ion battery could be used in hybrid and electric cars by 2010.  The battery could spark mass-produced plug-in hybrids and even resurrect the idea of all-electric vehicles that use no fossil fuel.  Breakthrough battery for electric cars? – Green Machines- msnbc.com 

A Norwegian automaker, Think Global, backed by Silicon Valley investors does plan to sell an all-electric car in the United States that goes 110 miles without a charge and costs less than $25,000, beginning sometime in 2009.  All-electric car set for U.S. sales in ’09 – Green Machines- msnbc.com

India’s largest auto manufacturer, Tata Motors, in partnership with Luxembourg-based MDI corporation, is set to start production of the world’s first commercial compressed air powered vehicle, the CityCAT.  6000 zero-emissions Air Cars are scheduled to hit Indian streets in August of 2008.  The $12,700 CityCAT, one of a handful of planned Air Car models, can hit 68 mph and has a range of 125 miles.  It only takes a few minutes for the CityCAT to refuel at gas stations equipped with custom air compressor units.  MDI says it should cost around $2 to fill the car’s carbon-fiber tanks with 349 liters of air at 4359 psi.  Drivers will also be able to plug into an electrical outlet and use the car’s built-in compressor to refill the tanks in about four hours (the Air Car will not be available in the United States). Air Car – First Air-Powered Car – Zero Emissions – Behind the Tech – Popular Mechanics (June 2007); The Air Car (Business Week March 19, 2007).

I would be among the first to agree that these small innovative vehicles would be unattractive to most American consumers.  But it is possible to build an attractive electric car.  Tesla Motors builds an all-electric roadster that is the equal of any sports car. Tesla Motors

My point is that innovative new energy technologies already exist and are in commercial production.  We are not starting from theory and do not need a "Manhattan Project" or "Apollo Project" costing billions of tax dollars to research and develop these new energy technologies. What is needed is a new federal mandate, similar to Clnton’s PNGV. to require the auto manufacturers to begin production of a product line which incorporates these commercially available new energy technologies. (Why not an updated EV1 incorporating the new Toshiba battery technology?)  One would assume that these new energy technologies could easily be improved upon by American ingenuity to meet Americans’ particular tastes in vehicles.

Americans’ "can do" spirit can achieve any national goal we set our minds to achieve.  We can reduce our dependence on oil.  But those industries which have a vested financial interest in maintaining the status quo have been preventing such progress for years.  By doing so, they are undermining America’s national security and bankrupting our country.

Update May 7, 2008:

While waiting for my car to be serviced, I read a recent issue Of Automobile Magazine that featured a review of the Tesla Motors all-electric roadster as its cover story.  2008 Tesla Roadster – Latest News, Features, and Reviews – Automobile Magazine

I also ran across a glossy fold-out ad for Chevrolet’s concept car, the Chevy Volt.  The Volt uses what Chevrolet calls its E-Flex propulsion system, and is designed to run on biofuel (E-85 flex fuel), home electricity, or hydrogen fuel.  The ad shows a very sporty compact car design, similar to vehicles currently on the road.  (See, it can be done).  The ad says this concept car "could" be manufactured and sold within five years or "as soon as lithium-ion batteries are ready for automotive use."  I found this article about the Chevy Volt which premiered at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show.  Detroit Auto Show: It’s here. GM’s plug-in hybrid is the Chevy Volt Concept – AutoblogGreen

I suspect the production lag time actually has more to do with the hydrogen fuel component than the lithium-ion battery (which is already in commercial use in Japan). Why not build a hybrid version with the E-85 flex fuel and electric motor option, or an all-electric version?  Add the hydrogen fuel component to later year models when that technology becomes commercially practicable.

What this demonstrates is that auto manufacturers currently possess the technology to build fuel efficient vehicles and vehicles which do not run on gasoline.  It can be done.