calscot 0 Posted November 7, 2017 Author Share Posted November 7, 2017 Lower supply of oil does seem better for the planet. It's a shame that a lot of the technology that could make us not dependent on oil is just starting to mature, way after we needed it to kick in. Methane fuel made from water, CO2 and solar power seems the latest big idea for a carbon neutral future, as well as cars becoming increasingly electric. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig 5,195 Posted November 7, 2017 Share Posted November 7, 2017 Lower supply of oil does seem better for the planet. It's a shame that a lot of the technology that could make us not dependent on oil is just starting to mature, way after we needed it to kick in. Methane fuel made from water, CO2 and solar power seems the latest big idea for a carbon neutral future, as well as cars becoming increasingly electric. A conspiracist would contend that those technologies have been available for many, many years but that the oil and gas industries suppressed their release as they wanted to own and control renewables too.... 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
calscot 0 Posted November 7, 2017 Author Share Posted November 7, 2017 A conspiracist would contend that those technologies have been available for many, many years but that the oil and gas industries suppressed their release as they wanted to own and control renewables too.... I think there has been a bit of that, but mostly political where the Californian government caved in their Zero Emissions Vehicle policies, although GM were a bit strange in the way they destroyed their EV1s - all the car companies were exceptionally slow to adopt and develop the technology. However, they left a hole for Tesla to fill and have now been left far behind by a start up company. Tesla have done an amazing job on developing the technology to provide desirable cars and using vertical integration to keep the costs realistic. It could be argued that they entered the market at the right time when demand was starting to increase and battery technology had come a long way from the lead acid of the EV1. There are also recent big advances in solar cell technology and another Musk company, Solar City, has filled a gap in the market in not only selling high efficiency cells combined with Tesla batteries to make all day long electricity supplies, but also by inventing solar cells that look like roof tiles - which will massively increase demand. Many governments (US excepted) are now taking Global warming seriously and so are more immune to the pressures of the oil companies, and that can be seen in up and coming legislation all over Europe where 2030 seems to be the popular date for the banning of sales of new petrol and diesel cars. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuGers 477 Posted November 7, 2017 Share Posted November 7, 2017 All this stuff about oil company pressure against electric cars is nonsense. The technology just wasn’t available until now and even now it is not brilliant. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo79 13,344 Posted November 7, 2017 Share Posted November 7, 2017 So we've got robot driven trucks trialling in Wales but it has taken decades to get electric cars ready? It's the same as the common cold, hayfever etc. They could cure it no problem but multinationals (states, individual barons and companies, in the case of oil) are making far too much money to do that. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the gunslinger 3,366 Posted November 7, 2017 Share Posted November 7, 2017 I get the tram to work.Hope you dont use petroleum jelly as a lubricant when your down leith. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuGers 477 Posted November 7, 2017 Share Posted November 7, 2017 So we've got robot driven trucks trialling in Wales but it has taken decades to get electric cars ready? It's the same as the common cold, hayfever etc. They could cure it no problem but multinationals (states, individual barons and companies, in the case of oil) are making far too much money to do that. Absolute nonsense. If there was a profit to be made, then the car companies would be doing it. The battery was and still is a restriction. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo79 13,344 Posted November 7, 2017 Share Posted November 7, 2017 Hope you dont use petroleum jelly as a lubricant when your down leith. I'm rarely down that way, thankfully. Although I'd happily take a can of petrol to Easter Rd stadium. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo79 13,344 Posted November 7, 2017 Share Posted November 7, 2017 Absolute nonsense. If there was a profit to be made, then the car companies would be doing it. The battery was and still is a restriction. I think we'll have to agree to disagree. Some of the amazing things humanity has achieved and yet we still need oil to get around. I'm not having it. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig 5,195 Posted November 7, 2017 Share Posted November 7, 2017 I think there has been a bit of that, but mostly political where the Californian government caved in their Zero Emissions Vehicle policies, although GM were a bit strange in the way they destroyed their EV1s - all the car companies were exceptionally slow to adopt and develop the technology. However, they left a hole for Tesla to fill and have now been left far behind by a start up company. Tesla have done an amazing job on developing the technology to provide desirable cars and using vertical integration to keep the costs realistic. It could be argued that they entered the market at the right time when demand was starting to increase and battery technology had come a long way from the lead acid of the EV1. There are also recent big advances in solar cell technology and another Musk company, Solar City, has filled a gap in the market in not only selling high efficiency cells combined with Tesla batteries to make all day long electricity supplies, but also by inventing solar cells that look like roof tiles - which will massively increase demand. Many governments (US excepted) are now taking Global warming seriously and so are more immune to the pressures of the oil companies, and that can be seen in up and coming legislation all over Europe where 2030 seems to be the popular date for the banning of sales of new petrol and diesel cars. We have an investment fund manager who works on one of our portfolios who drives a US$110,000 Tesla - my boss got the chance to sit passenger in it and said it was probably the best drive he has ever had.... says that they got onto an open road and the Tesla got from 0-60 in less than 4 seconds. Says the ride was incredible - and confirmed what I had already seen when I have seen a Tesla, that the design of them are very, very impressive. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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