[SGVLUG] [OT]Hybrids and trains (was fuel prices and the dollar)

[Christopher Smith]

Sadly, like most things about oil, we tend to be fairly misinformed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_reserves#Canada

Actually, Canada is #2 now that oil prices are so high, and that's NOT 
including suspected massive reserves in the Arctic. Furthermore, there 
is a fair bit of evidence that most OPEC nations overstate their 
reserves in order to have a larger share of quotas, so it is possible 
Canada is already #1 in terms of "real" reserves.

--Chris

Dan Borne wrote:
> Canada does not have as large petrol or gas reserves as the US, 
> Russia, Saudia Arabia and some others.
>
> Sorry, I do not understand your connexion.
>
> 2008/5/14 Christopher Smith <x at xman.org <mailto:x at xman.org>>:
>
>     Yeah, just like it was during our last energy crisis. :-)
>
>     As the price of petrochemicals goes up, so do the options for oil
>     and gas producers. If the prices get much higher, Canada may
>     become the richest source of oil reserves in the world within a
>     few years. Not to mention that wind power starts to become a
>     really nice alternative to coal/gas/oil, reducing our need to
>     consume it for power generation.
>
>     --Chris
>
>     Dan Borne wrote:
>
>         Well quite soon oil production levels will fall; it is
>         reaching its peak.
>
>         2008/5/14 Christopher Smith <x at xman.org <mailto:x at xman.org>
>         <mailto:x at xman.org <mailto:x at xman.org>>>:
>
>
>            I blogged about this phenomena a fair while back:
>
>            http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-NGG_XKMyebVXpbF6EpCU?p=193
>
>            That said, oil production levels aren't growing too quickly
>         these
>            days, so energy conservation measures (particularly significant
>            ones, like driving less and/or driving more fuel efficient
>            vehicles) really are the most effective way for us to alter the
>            supply/demand situation in the short term. In the long
>         term, you
>            need some other source of energy (see:
>            http://google.org/rec.html) to become more cost effective than
>            petrochemicals to really have a lasting impact.
>
>            --Chris
>
>            Dan Borne wrote:
>
>                I would be willing to bet that that is so (especially
>         in Los
>                Angeles) but I mean does converting ever car into a hybrid
>                really do much in terms of energy savings? I would be
>         willing
>                to bet that in a sort time the energy consumption of
>         the world
>                would soon reach pre-hybrid levels.
>
>
>
>                2008/5/14 Rae Yip <rae.yip at gmail.com
>         <mailto:rae.yip at gmail.com>
>                <mailto:rae.yip at gmail.com <mailto:rae.yip at gmail.com>>
>         <mailto:rae.yip at gmail.com <mailto:rae.yip at gmail.com>
>
>                <mailto:rae.yip at gmail.com <mailto:rae.yip at gmail.com>>>>:
>
>
>                   Don't forget regenerative braking; this is a big win for
>                hybrid and
>                   electric vehicles because it saves wear and tear on the
>                brake pads as
>                   well as improving mileage.
>
>                   So even if the Prius loses 1/3 of the energy it
>         stores in the
>                   batteries, much of that energy would simply have been
>                discarded in a
>                   regular car - 100% loss!
>
>                   Naturally, you don't something for nothing. As
>         people have
>                said,
>                   there's added weight. But I doubt the auto makers
>         would add a
>                   component that wasn't a net gain, and the real world
>         data
>                bears it
>                   out.
>
>                   In stop-and-go traffic (is there any other sort in LA?),
>                I'm fairly
>                   certain hybrid vehicles are more efficient, no
>         matter how
>                well you
>                   follow your car's fuel consumption map.
>
>                   -Rae.
>
>
>
>
>
>

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