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A team of scientists would always use statistics before making any statement. We’re not scientists, but we do like to keep things as real as possible. This is why we put together five reasons that we consider good enough to detail a dilemma we haven’t found a way to crack yet.
It may come in different proportions, but it’s quite clear that most of us, petrolheads, are bored of the “climate change” discussion. Facts are facts, nevertheless, and to start this discussion we’ll refer to a bigger authority than the regular statistics. If you haven’t heard of it by now, we’ll mention NASA’s Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) project the Agency launched in 2002.
After 12 years of studying our planet from a satellite, NASA has confirmed what some scientists and environmentalists have been claiming for a long time now. The global warming generates more warming. In other words, as the Earth’s surface temperatures rise, levels of water vapor in the atmosphere increase. More moisture in the air means more cloud cover, which means the warming effect of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere only gets bigger.
Nonbelievers still say Nay to something that appears to be obvious to 98 percent of scientists worldwide, who all agree that climate change is real and is happening because of humans. Our point is not about the scientific approach, however, but rather about innovative solutions to harvest energy and the use of these methods in transportation. Better put, the delay to use these methods of transportation.
1. New Zealander’s modified 1995 Chevrolet Geo Tracker working on burned wood
Yes, we may seem absurd with this method, a technology that goes way back in the automotive industry. In effect, we’re looking at a customized Chevrolet SUV that is using nothing but carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas created by burning wood in a specially designed assembly on the back of the vehicle. Some vehicles burning wood to propel the car were still seen on the street before World War II, but to have one in 2015, that’s something else.
In other words, we’re looking at a car that uses gasification to propel a vehicle. But what about the exhaust residues? Well, the only thing that’s left out of the process is ash that can be used as fertilizer. Not only is it possible, but burning wood lowered the horsepower of the engine with a little over ten units. It doesn’t affect performances that bad. Sure, chopping down forests to power our cars is not that smart, but we’re sure there are a lot of other things that could be burned and used instead.
In case you missed the news last week, we’d like to mention Solar Impulse 2’ latest triumph. Pilot Andre Borschberg has spent five days in the air crossing the Pacific Ocean from Japan to Hawaii. We are talking about an 118-hour flight, the longest ever solo nonstop flight, one that breaks the previous record set at 76 hours. Again, no drop of fuel was used for the journey. As if that wasn’t enough to prove a point, this success is just one leg of an around the world trip that is months away from ending.
There’s a European research team currently testing this theory at a viaduct in the Canary Islands. Here, the Spanish and British researchers verified if the wind blowing between the pillars on this type of infrastructure can move wind turbines and produce energy. Apparently, if small turbines are being used the power generated would classify in the medium-power range. So yes, it’s possible.
However, it appears even this part of our beloved automotive world could be fixed. In fact, it’s being settled in some parts of the world as we speak. One of those places is London, where Mayor Boris Johnson recently announced that the world’s first purpose-built purely electric double-decker bus will enter passenger service in UK’s capital city this year.
Bottom line, we could go on with further examples, but all together they would only confirm a simple, yet unanswered question: if we know the problem, and we have the solution, why is gasoline still so popular?
In other words, we’re looking at a car that uses gasification to propel a vehicle. But what about the exhaust residues? Well, the only thing that’s left out of the process is ash that can be used as fertilizer. Not only is it possible, but burning wood lowered the horsepower of the engine with a little over ten units. It doesn’t affect performances that bad. Sure, chopping down forests to power our cars is not that smart, but we’re sure there are a lot of other things that could be burned and used instead.
2. Cars Powered by Evaporating Water
Maybe burning wood or other similar left-over-by-men materials is not a sustainable idea, we get that. What about using the power of evaporating water? We’re hinting at an incredibly attractive project a team of researchers at the Columbia University is currently working at. It appears they have created simple devices made of bacterial spores, glue, and plastic that allow the capture of energy from evaporating water. That same power can be used later to move vehicles forward.3. Five days in the air using solar power solely
We inevitably had to mention solar energy, of course. But we’re not hinting at all those extremely performant cars such as Stella Lux, a solar electric car built to resemble a conventional family car. Even though it offers a maximum range of 1,000 km (621 miles), it’s still far from what the world’s coolest airplane is capable of.In case you missed the news last week, we’d like to mention Solar Impulse 2’ latest triumph. Pilot Andre Borschberg has spent five days in the air crossing the Pacific Ocean from Japan to Hawaii. We are talking about an 118-hour flight, the longest ever solo nonstop flight, one that breaks the previous record set at 76 hours. Again, no drop of fuel was used for the journey. As if that wasn’t enough to prove a point, this success is just one leg of an around the world trip that is months away from ending.
4. Wind turbines mounted in viaducts to produce energy
Sure, one of the big catch on using e-juice to power our vehicles is that a lot of electricity is still produced by burning coal or other fossils. But what if we only need to enhance the structures we already have built to make them capable of producing energy?There’s a European research team currently testing this theory at a viaduct in the Canary Islands. Here, the Spanish and British researchers verified if the wind blowing between the pillars on this type of infrastructure can move wind turbines and produce energy. Apparently, if small turbines are being used the power generated would classify in the medium-power range. So yes, it’s possible.
5. World’s first electric Double-Decker is here
Now, say you cover the four-wheeled family vehicle (hybrid, electric or hydrogen), the aeronautics, and the last-mile means of transportation. What’s left? The public transportation could be one. After all, according to Public Transportation, it’s a $58 billion industry that employs nearly 400,000 people in the US solely.However, it appears even this part of our beloved automotive world could be fixed. In fact, it’s being settled in some parts of the world as we speak. One of those places is London, where Mayor Boris Johnson recently announced that the world’s first purpose-built purely electric double-decker bus will enter passenger service in UK’s capital city this year.
Bottom line, we could go on with further examples, but all together they would only confirm a simple, yet unanswered question: if we know the problem, and we have the solution, why is gasoline still so popular?
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