McCain offers $300 million prize for new auto battery

[..]

Does he think that no one is working on this already??

 

In America we call this concept of offering a monetary payment for the development of a specific technology an " X Prize". X Prizes are thought by some people to work. That is' date=' they are expected by some to hasten the development of a technology more than it would be hastened by simply spending that same amount of money directly on developing that technology.

 

Are you familiar with the X Prize concept? What do you think of it?[/quote']

Ah, so then RY you are a "conservative" only when it is convenient? I think those programs are stupid and McSame is just pandering, as usual.

 

Huh, you ask?

 

Because a *real* conservative would point out a) the free market would be the reward IF the project were viable, no carrot needed; we would have to raise taxes to pay for it; c) it does not solve the issue of oil dependence as OH has already pointed out.

 

Gee, I guess I must be a conservative! What's that make you Roggie?

 

Regards,

SD -- just a realist...

[Old Hippie]

The harm Could come from any associated corruption in contract awards etc.... That aside, yes, a good idea, but as I said, we need to have in place, or in the process of being in place, a way to manufacture energy to charge the batteries.

 

Nuclear waste? I heard the analogy this way, Coal puts off more radiation than the same amount of nuclear energy. That is...a family of four using coal and or oil puts out enough waste from that energy, in a life time, to fill a railway box car. The same family using nuclear puts out enough waste to fill 1/2 a shoe box. Coal and I believe oil also emit radiation, yet no one worries about it.

 

Nuclear is much cleaner and much cheaper. The benefit is at night, when demand is low, you can use the energy to make hydrogen and other gases for vehicles. I was one of those anti nuke "what about the waste?" guys also, but having read up on it, I see it isn't so bad.

 

California has been 18-25% nuclear for almost 50 years? the only 2 accidents, Chernobyl and Three mile Island were both operator error. In TMI, the over rides caught it and contained it. In Chernobyl, also operator error, it was an old out dated plant that was supposed to have been closed, had no containment facility and many other problems, hence the disaster. Nuclear power makes things like electric vehicles far more practical.

[Guest lazyphil]

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its not that simple. iran have openly said israel should be taken off the map. wiped out. so one should be highly critical of their true goals of nuclear technology.

 

[Bangkoktraveler]

I am positive I read somewhere that a Govenor of California, back in the 1880's, became the laughing stock of the country when he proposed making free electricity from 'tidal movements'.

 

Suadum, I am glad you pointed out to rogueyam his leftist thinking. Maybe a mother or grandmother influence. I was going to point it out to him, but each time he gets cornered, he goes and hides.

[Hugh_Hoy]

[ I think those programs are stupid and McSame is just pandering, as usual.

 

Regards,

SD -- just a realist...

 

Lame, SD. Why are they "stupid"? McCain pandering?

 

Obama panders to every group he addresses. In the "rust belt" he is gonna create 500,000 "green jobs". Yeah, right. And who will pay for those? Eh? He's a big proponet of ethenol. Guess on what "advisory board" he sits on. Couldn't be corn producers, could it? What state does he represent? Illinois, you say? Isn't that the second-largest corn-producing state in the country. But I'm sure those items have no bearing on his position :smirk:

 

Okay...I know you're just trolling. But pleeeeeeez, try to keep it within the bounds of rationality. Please.

 

HH

[rogueyam]

Ah, so then RY you are a "conservative" only when it is convenient? I think those programs are stupid and McSame is just pandering, as usual.

 

I don't think a government X Prize would necessarily undermine free-market principles. The government already conducts and sudsidizes energy technology research and if an X Prize had the effect of replacing that research then it would definitely be a step in the right direction market-wise.

 

As to whether an X Prize is appropriate to this application or whether McCain is pandering in this instance I remain agnostic, but I do like X Prizes in general (though none previously have been government funded to my knowledge). They tend to generate an amount of private investment that far exceeds the value of the prize itself.

[Julian2]

When I was in Kunming, China two years ago I was amazed at the number of electric scooters on the road. There were certainly a higher percentage of them to cars compared to motorcys to cars in Thailand.

I noticed that they came equipped with pedals and chain so you could still get home if the battery died on you.

Interestingly I read an article in a local magazine that said that energy wise they were still less economical than petrol driven bikes. Unless, I assume, you spent a lot of time peddling.

 

[Old Hippie]

The problem is you need energy to charge them up. You have to burn something to [produce that energy, which means a bit of waste. You then charge the battery, and get a "bit more waste." So to go the same distance in a fuel engine vs. a battery engine, their might be less wasted energy with the fuel car. A lot depends on the model etc.

 

Additionally, there is the issue of the battery cells themselves, they are an environmental nightmare! Not only to produce, but the waste/disposal problem as well.

[Mekong]

There is one problem with Nuclear Energy and that is the Shortage of Qualified Engineers. Being Ex Nuclear myself I have recieved emails from approx 100 employment agencies back in the UK asking about my availability and what terms and conditions it would take for me to re-enter the fold. Interesting times ahead.

[Bangkoktraveler]

The USA might want to look at simple ways to acquire energy. For example, there are 75,185 dams in the U.S. but less than 3 percent are used for hydroelectric generation.