Brazil is almost completely switched to running vehicles on Ethanol, but they have a good system that is not counterproductive like ours is.
The hybrid and electric cars are subsidized also, and are touted as being pollution free.
In reality they are coal burning cars. Not that that is a bad thing, clean coal is a good way to produce electricity.
The thing is that the alternatives are set up by those in power to slow down production of oil based fuels.
Most of those that support alternative and oil, coal etc don't want more oil production IMO.
Plus the scare tactics that are used to push the alternatives (we are running out of oil etc) are bogus and politically driven.
The best alternative at this time is to produce more of our OWN oil and as fast as possible.
And start adding Nuclear plants.
Leave the other alternatives to the private sector, like T-Bone Pickins (yea I know what his name is, I like T-Bone better) and other private investors. Not our tax dollars. Put windmills off the east coast where Ted Kennedy can see them. Oh that's right, he doesn't want them in his ocean view.
When the private sector realized it wasn't viable or profitable to use infant stem cells, the government jumped in and threw money at it.
billva, I hope you get my comment now.
Thanks to both of you for the comments.
False. Ethanol is less than 20% of their fuel consumption.
Your points are well taken.
However let me add a couple of things.
First Hybrid cars do not use electricity, at least the majority of them don’t. Electric cars do but a power plant generating electricity is more efficient than a car burning gas. And not all electric plants burn coal, less than half of them do.
We need to get more nuclear plants.
I know all the things you mention are subsidized but I think we do need to move in the direction of alternate fuel and think there is a place for the government to get involved. Especially removing barriers such as drilling bans, allowing nuclear plants to be built and even some subsidies.
Thanks for the post.
Your points are well taken.
However let me add a couple of things.
First Hybrid cars do not use electricity, at least the majority of them don’t. Electric cars do but a power plant generating electricity is more efficient than a car burning gas. And not all electric plants burn coal, less than half of them do.
We need to get more nuclear plants.
I know all the things you mention are subsidized but I think we do need to move in the direction of alternate fuel and think there is a place for the government to get involved. Especially removing barriers such as drilling bans, allowing nuclear plants to be built and even some subsidies.
Thanks for the post.
I agree with you that new technologies shouldn’t be heavily subsidized. If they are indeed viable, they will develop on their own. If they are not viable, they don’t need taxpayer money to prop them up.