Jack,
Inserted answers below,
At 12:39 AM 3/21/2005, you wrote:
Hakan, I live in the Northeast corner of the US, in Massachusetts. I bought
a Toyota Prius in 2003. I would have also considered diesel vehicles (VW
TDI probably) IF they had been available in my state, and IF we had low
sulphur fuel in the US. I believe 3 states, CA, NY, MA, and maybe more,
currently prohibit diesel vehicles due to high sulphur and particulate
emissions. That may change in 2006. A used VW TDI would have been possible,
but my personal choice was to wait for low sulphur fuel, and go hybrid short
term.
I cannot answer on US conditions, but am surprised if it is really prohibited.
US have a high portion of diesel vehicles in transport and I have seen them
on the
streets in CA. Diesel is the same as heating oil and Europe have for a long
time used a cleaner diesel than US. ULS with lubrication by biodiesel will be
standard in US also. Like the MTBE and ethanol replacement.
But I do have some questions and concerns about diesel:
1. Why is diesel fuel so much more expensive in the US? In MA, it
costs at least 10% more, reducing its advantage. Is this a supply and demand
problem, or related to its lower popularity so there are fewer sources (few
filling stations offer diesel)? Or taxes? Seems like the crude costs the
same, and refining costs should be lower, and distribution costs should be
the same, as petrol.
Diesel should be the same price as heating oil and I think it is cheaper
than gasoline. If diesel is priced higher, it is question of taxes and
distribution,
both can be effected by policy decisions.
2. Would we create a supply problem by doing a large scale changeover
from petrol to diesel vehicles? See this site
http://www.jrc.nl/publ/2004/EUR%2021378%20EN.pdf for a good report about
petrol vs. diesel production. It seems to say that refineries "must"
produce some petrol and some diesel, for best use of crude oil feedstocks,
energy efficiency, and emissions. Europe appears to already want more
diesel than petrol, pushing the refineries away from the most optimal
product mix. It appears that refineries in the US already produce more
petrol than diesel. Do we NEED to keep a mix of petrol and diesel vehicles
to best use the crude that we commit to vehicle use?
I think it is more refinery resources that determine it, than the refinery
production mix. It is however easier to replace diesel with biodiesel and
this should be a part of the plan. You already have a problem with the
light crude that US needs for the large portion of gasoline, diesel would
probably be beneficial, at least short term and for the goals I talked about.
3. Is there a connection here with different grades and sources of crude
oil - high and low sulphur, lighter and heavier crude oils? Is the world
using up lighter crudes faster than heavier, and do lighter crudes yield
more petrol than heavier? Maybe the diesel fraction will increase vs.
petrol as we use up light crude and move to heavier. I am learning a bit
more about the refining industry than I wanted.
Light crude is more difficult to get, therefore the higher prices on the
crude that US needs. Short term it will fix the current supply squeeze
in US demands.
All that said, diesel is still very appealing, since at least some of it can
be supplied from bio sources, and diesel engines are more efficient
(although I don't know how much of that is "fundamental" process efficiency
and how much is due to the higher energy content of the fuel).
Europe have between 30 to 50% diesel vehicles, if you look at my link, US
is far behind.
http://energysavingnow.com/biofuels/dieseltech.shtml
I cannot see any differences in environment etc. and if there are any, they
are better for Europe.
And I completely agree with you that efforts to increase efficiency and
conservation are much more likely to have a large effect on demand,
emissions and price, than drilling in ANWR. I sure hope movements in those
directions become widespread - perhaps the rapidly increasing fuel prices
will awaken more of us in the US to this. It is sad that Jimmy Carter said
this in 1977, and look how little has happened since!
Yes, it is political/corporate causes why US have this large energy use and
pollution problem. It is hard to believe than people got there in a democratic
way, but if you see the corpracy in US it is explainable.
I think that US have more need for democracy, than many other countries
in the world.
Hakan
Jack
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf
Of Hakan Falk
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 2:59 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [Biofuel] CAFE vs ANWR
Hoagy,
Do not forget the even larger and faster savings that can be done
by going the route of Europe. This apart the fact that it is also from
production point, easier and efficient to move to biodiesel than to
ethanol.
Diesel engine, as a "ready for use" energy saving technology.
by Hakan Falk at Energy Saving Now.
http://energysavingnow.com/biofuels/dieseltech.shtml
EU has made the diesel engine a part of the energy policies. A very
determined immediate switch to this policies, could save US about
the production from 2 to 3 ANWR within 10 years. If it is then combined
with a move from SUVs to smaller and better vehicles, another 5 ANWR
is achievable within the 10 years period.
Put president Carter's energy plan in effect and it is another 5 ANWR,
within the 10 years period. Maybe it is also possible to develop a much
better energy plan, for the long term.
US need to put itself on war footing, not with the military and against any
3rd party, but against itself and the energy waste. The "ready for use"
weapons are many and what is missing is only the political decisions.
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