You don't have a Volt, nor any other electric car either. If it's such an important issue to you, why haven't you yet taken any steps to mitigate your impact with regards to your personal transportation choice.
You don't have a solar array either. So just WHEN will you do something?
My biodiesel use had been in place for the past 10 years...
ikendu
I blocked his posts over a year ago and just unblocked them in this thread. Nothings changed, no electric car yet, no solar array...
Wow! You guys are a TOUGH audience!
Well, you got me. At least partly. >hangs head in shame< It's true. I don't have my own solar array.
I spent 18 months basically unemployed while I wrote my book and tried to earn a living writing (while I looked for new job in my experience field). So... cash for a new solar array was limited. I did look into it. The solar incentives in Germany meant that every last panel on Earth was getting sucked into Germany at the time and panels were a LOT more expensive. Now that I am working again (in the field where I actually get paid for my work), I'm beginning to plan how I could put a solar array up for my home even though I am in a heavily wooded forest (no lawn at all, no grass at all... just trees right up to the house and with a roof that slopes the wrong direction!).
Also true... no electric car either. I do have my name on the list at the local Chevy dealer (I'm first!) for the Volt when they start selling it here in Iowa.
So... you got me dead to rights on both of these issues!
What I
have been doing...
For 7 1/2 years been running 100% soy biodeisel in my '03 Golf in spite of all the nay-sayers and alarmists on Fred's telling me I was crazy and was absolutely going to destroy my brand new TDI by using biodiesel and that ZERO biodiesel was warrantied or recommended by VW for my engine.
Helped started a used cooking oil recycling co-op here in this area (arranged for "Girl Mark" to come from California to teach us how to do it for those of you that are biodiesel insiders).
For the last 4 years, I've voluntarily paid more for my electricity on my 100% renewable sourced power for my home.
Volunteered for five years with the Iowa Renewable Energy Association board of directors to promote the use of solar, wind and bio-sourced energy in our state.
So... I haven't been
entirely slacking on the energy issue.
ikendu... blocked his posts over a year ago and just unblocked them in this thread. ...Blocked again as of 7/28/2010...
Actually, I almost take that as a sort of badge of honor... I hope aja8888 is not offended by that.
I guess he won't be since he has me blocked again. Whew!
I guess I should post a little someting on topic...
I do agree with DBW to this extent. Neither my '03 or the PDs were designed to operate on high percentages of biodiesel. In my case, it hasn't mattered one bit except I've been forced to blend with petroleum diesel in the cold Iowa winters (which I hate to blend). My daughter has a PD and ran it on B100 for several years with no apparent difficulty at all.
For myself I accepted the financial risks and it has paid off. I've cut my petroleum use by 75% and my carbon by 55% (what with winter blending and the fact that even biodiesel is about 22% methanol from natural gas).
DBW is a big proponet of GTL technology for synthetic fuel. The characteristics of such a fuel can be tailored to the engine design if necessary. Its a great idea, I just don't see anyone doing it yet. I'd love to buy some of that fuel right this very minute if it was produced in a low carbon manner with little or no imported oil. But... where to buy such fuel? Not in Iowa.
Lug_Nut, I'll still be driving my '03 on mostly 100% biodiesel (from that co-op that recycles cooking oil) for at least another year. I can't get a Volt any sooner than that. It's great that I'm using biodiesel and I want everyone else that can... to use it too. There's just not enough to go around. I've tried to focus on transportations solution that mere mortals can do. Most folks won't make their own biodiesel or fiddle with winter blending to keep their cars from gelling up.
They might drive Chevy Volts. Over time, we need to switch our grid electricity away from coal and natural gas (heck, eventually, we'll even run out of those fuels). I hope my example will start to get people to switch away from petroleum. It won't happen over night, but we have to start somewhere.
If renewable, GTL fuels become widely available, GREAT! I'm all for that.
Lug_Nut, keep the faith and keep on using that renewable B100. It's good! I wish more people would follow your example.
I've had a lot of people point out to me that biodiesel costs more for transportation. I don't expect to save money on my Chevy Volt either. I'm not doing this to save money, I'm doing it because someone has to start taking our energy situation towards a more sustainable future for our environment, economy and our security. For me, I'll be switching to electric drive (in about a year, hopefully) ...to be followed by my own solar array if I can get the money together and make it happen.
If you guys really want me to get my own solar array... get all your friends to buy my BOOK!
