How are gas prices and inflation going to affect your diving?

[Marie13]

I agree that EVs arent a solution for everybody. Lots of folks have no way to charge them. And I dont agree with using too much public money to incent EVs - thats basically helping out those generally richer folks who can use EVs. Better to invest in public transportation - electrify buses.

But for an individual who cares about the environment, if you can get an EV, its better for the environment. That's a small thing, but it helps. It will likely be cheaper in the long run. I know that im paying less in the increase in my electricity bill than I would be paying at the pump. As it is now, we fill up the tank on our plug-in about every two months.

And I only plug in at home at a regular appliance outlet, not a special charger - 6 hours at night to get 27 miles of range.

Pushing public transit and bikes - that’s another of my pet peeves. I drive 40 miles round trip daily suburb to suburb. Public transit pretty much doesn’t exist far out in the Chicago burbs except for the commuter trains to downtown. Many areas in the US have no public transit at all. And pushing bikes in snowy cold climates?

 

[kelemvor]

The LONG range solution is nuclear fusion

It was invented 100 years ago in 1920. Work on fusion started in earnest around 1950, and it's been "just around the corner" since then. I'd love to see it, but I've given up on fusion as being a viable method to do anything in my lifetime.

OTOH, solar works and has made tremendous leaps in the last 15 years. Wind has also made huge progress, except that thanks to people wanting to protect birds it is illegal in many areas (at least it is in my area) to put up a wind generator.

Right now, there's probably more companies scamming people on solar installations than there are companies pushing legitimate solar installations. It's giving solar a bad reputation as a whole.

I've been working on installing my own solar system. Actually, I have already done it, but I haven't got nearly enough installed to power my whole home. Installing solar is pretty simple, but many companies don't want to sell panels to individual end users. Of course, you can get the castoffs (not grade A) from overseas suppliers. Good luck buying a modern bifacial panel from LG, Panasonic, or even Sunpower.

 

[formernuke]

It was invented 100 years ago in 1920. Work on fusion started in earnest around 1950, and it's been "just around the corner" since then. I'd love to see it, but I've given up on fusion as being a viable method to do anything in my lifetime.

OTOH, solar works and has made tremendous leaps in the last 15 years. Wind has also made huge progress, except that thanks to people wanting to protect birds it is illegal in many areas (at least it is in my area) to put up a wind generator.

Right now, there's probably more companies scamming people on solar installations than there are companies pushing legitimate solar installations. It's giving solar a bad reputation as a whole.

I've been working on installing my own solar system. Actually, I have already done it, but I haven't got nearly enough installed to power my whole home. Installing solar is pretty simple, but many companies don't want to sell panels to individual end users. Of course, you can get the castoffs (not grade A) from overseas suppliers. Good luck buying a modern bifacial panel from LG, Panasonic, or even Sunpower.

Just like the US is going metric in 1970. Didn't you get the memo.

The reason why not much has happened is because too many people are making money on fossil fuels including everyone in government.

 

[Gone for diving]

Things need to be thought through.

I think compressed air to power cars is a good idea. Especially after we dive we can use up the 500psi left over to get back to the dive shop

 

[Boarderguy]

The EV push is a good thing for making ICE manufacturers think about efficiencies. Right now the battery in EV is gong to last 8-10 years and will then be bound for a landfill. They are not recyclable and if you did try it would cost more to retain some, not all, of the previous metals. The strip mining to gain enough materials for the EV batteries is an affront to environmental thinking. Solar panels are in the same boat as batteries for manufacturing and recycling (doesn't work). The ground surrounding wind farms are full of old and broken blades. They dig a ditch and cover them up. Meanwhile my ICE vehicles are going strong with only needing a new lead acid battery every 4-5 years and an oil change every 6-8k miles.

Non gasoline vehicles are the future, but you can't cripple society because you can get around on public transit in your over burdened city.

 

[formernuke]

And it takes a s$<$ ton of energy and oil to make those batteries, solar panels and windmill parts. Overall until we get good energy production EV is just a smoke screen. Fusion would be nice but even fission is better.

Europe seems to have figured this out as they have a lot more nuke plants.

 

[BlueTrin]

And it takes a s$<$ ton of energy and oil to make those batteries, solar panels and windmill parts. Overall until we get good energy production EV is just a smoke screen. Fusion would be nice but even fission is better.

Europe seems to have figured this out as they have a lot more nuke plants.

I think it’s because we don’t have as many energy resources as you have, guys

And we are about to lose the Russian supply

 

[Akimbo]

I take it you haven't driven the 8 recently? That is exactly what is happening out in the deserts between Yuma and San Diego.

But will the state of California allow us to invest in a solar farm INSTEAD of putting solar on our roofs?

California requires solar on all new construction now, no matter how ill-suited the environment due to overcast, wind, and salt air. The same amount of money invested in a farm would produce a LOT more watts/dollar, even if it was only 2 miles inland. Another advantage is it would not increase our home's insurance rates and assessed value for property taxes.

Our HOA encourages solar panel installation on the ground instead of the roof, but we have 1 acre+ lots, mostly slopped. Cleaning is easer and safer but the salt air significantly reduces panel life. Ground mounting often allows optimum solar angle compared to many roofs unless the house is oriented for it and sacrifices optimum views.

 

[BoltSnap]

$1,200 electric bill

For one month or a whole year????

 

[azstinger11]

But will the state of California allow us to invest in a solar farm INSTEAD of putting solar on our roofs?

California requires solar on all new construction now, no matter how ill-suited the environment due to overcast, wind, and salt air. The same amount of money invested in a farm would produce a LOT more watts/dollar, even if it was only 2 miles inland. Another advantage is it would not increase our home's insurance rates and assessed value for property taxes.

Our HOA encourages solar panel installation on the ground instead of the roof, but we have 1 acre+ lots, mostly slopped. Cleaning is easer and safer but the salt air significantly reduces panel life. Ground mounting often allows optimum solar angle compared to many roofs unless the house is oriented for it and sacrifices optimum views.

Yeah fair enough. I paid like $200 to some company out here for them to come wash our panels 3 times a year for the next 10 years (provided they stay in business), i'm not getting up on the 2nd story roof to clean the things lol