article thumbnail

Heating Buildings With Solar Energy Stored in Sand

Cars That Think

When we turn up the heat in our homes and workplaces, we must balance our personal need for warmth with the global impact of burning fossil fuels like oil, gas, coal, and biomass. The hot air is circulated through a network of pipes inside a sand-filled heat storage vessel. There is nothing special here!” Eronen says, laughing.

Store 85
article thumbnail

Perspective: Drive Star Conversion Program Could Cut US Oil Use in Half by 2020

Green Car Congress

In a pre-response to that speech, having successfully advocated for plug-in hybrids like the forthcoming Chevy Volt, we propose that the President follow that speech up with a “realistic and conservative” roadmap to halve our oil use in 10 years. Oil is holding us all hostage, economically and physically. Finally, it’s time to begin.

Oil 252
article thumbnail

Not So Prolific: US Shale Faces A Reality Check

Green Car Congress

The collapse of oil prices has forced the US shale industry to slash production costs. In other words, about three-quarters of the cost reductions have come from trends that will not ultimately improve the overall recovery of oil. Even if production is to continue to rise, it will require steadily higher crude oil prices.

Oil-Sands 150
article thumbnail

Cleantech Blog: Smart Grids and Electric Vehicles

Tony Karrer Delicious EVdriven

Millions will plug-in their electric vehicles (EV), plug-in hybrids (PHEV) and fuel cell vehicles (FCV) at night when electricity is cheap, then plug-in during the day when energy is expensive and sell those extra electrons at a profit. Millions of EVs and PHEVs would expand the sale of electricity as an alternative to oil. Email Neal.

Grid 28
article thumbnail

The right way to get oil-rich West Asia to pressure electrical vehicles? Chinese language EV makers contemplate

Baua Electric

Around the six Gulf states, together with oil majors Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, electrical vehicles account for simply 0.4% While it’s still relatively cheap to run a gas-guzzler in many places — petrol costs between $2.18 of the passenger-vehicle marketplace. File photo: Branding on an Xpeng P7 electric vehicle (EV).