tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848841213670110129.post8039037334601588497..comments2024-03-12T18:37:16.548-04:00Comments on The Easiest Person to Fool: Responding to Collapse, Part 15—AddendumIrv Millshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030800457536589003noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848841213670110129.post-1696907914698829572020-02-11T11:46:03.951-05:002020-02-11T11:46:03.951-05:00@ Pogust
on the whole, I agree. If we are going to...@ Pogust<br />on the whole, I agree. If we are going to convert transport to electric power, then that electric power had better come from clean, renewable sources. Which, of course, have numerous problems of their own. Intermittency and lower EROEI being the big ones.<br /><br />But before someone reading this jumps in to enlighten me, I am aware that coal fired generating stations are around 40% efficient, whereas diesel and gasoline engine range from 15 to 25% efficiency. Even with losses in transmission and charging, the coal fired generating station is still ahead. Just not by very much.<br /><br />The best solution would be a lot less movement of both goods and people.Irv Millshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08030800457536589003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848841213670110129.post-80523454428385523622020-01-01T09:15:27.349-05:002020-01-01T09:15:27.349-05:00I haven't followed your links, but from memory...I haven't followed your links, but from memory around 60% of electricity is made from fossil Globally, mainly from coal. The price in Germany is 30 cents per kwh and will most likely be higher with time. Sad waste of last resources on electric vehicles. Pogusthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16738185433115001712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848841213670110129.post-10383007677338011962019-12-29T20:04:44.913-05:002019-12-29T20:04:44.913-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Amarnathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10045911629669056107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848841213670110129.post-13890731252892082852019-12-22T22:41:08.477-05:002019-12-22T22:41:08.477-05:00@ Bev
Thanks once again for your kind words. I enj...@ Bev<br />Thanks once again for your kind words. I enjoy doing this sort of homework, and I figure why not share what I learn.<br /><br />Have a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.Irv Millshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08030800457536589003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848841213670110129.post-63396240714684695112019-12-22T22:39:26.436-05:002019-12-22T22:39:26.436-05:00@ Don Hayward
Interesting thoughts Don. There sure...@ Don Hayward<br />Interesting thoughts Don. There surely won't be 7 billion mouths to feed--most won't make it through the bottleneck that faces us.<br /><br />About oxen versus horses--the only advantage I see to oxen is that there are a lot more cattle around than horses and likely quite a few just about the right age to start their training as oxen when we cannot longer get diesel fuel. So for a while, where biodiesel doesn't catch on because people aren't prepared, oxen may fill the gap.<br /><br />I grew up in an area where farmers were just nicely getting switched over to tractors and horses were still in use. My dad would have laughed at the suggestion of using oxen except out of direst necessity--he believed horses were that much better. I've finally come around come around to the opinion that he was right about most things.<br /><br />Have a merry Christmas and I hope to see you in the new year.Irv Millshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08030800457536589003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848841213670110129.post-19120941013262399692019-12-21T20:05:19.470-05:002019-12-21T20:05:19.470-05:00Well done again Irv. I haven't read through al...Well done again Irv. I haven't read through all the links yet, but had already read some of them. The average person won't ever do this much homework, so this is a good post to refer someone to.Bevnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848841213670110129.post-75459196437171818452019-12-21T18:57:07.353-05:002019-12-21T18:57:07.353-05:00The discussion on semi-trucks is dealing with atte...The discussion on semi-trucks is dealing with attempts to maintain business as usual while "saving life on the planet". The general understanding is that we no longer have the time for such measures, even if they might be practical.<br />All of Musk's organizations produce aspirational specs that are usually modified in the light of real experience. His companies have always been aspirational and with the example of SpaceX, aspirations can be realized even if not in the original conception. Whether the electric semi is realistic is indeed an open question, but the technology is fascinating. I personally think a collapse, economic and climatic will veto the chance to try it.<br />The other half about farming is post-collapse. Indeed, salvage and using existing technology as long as possible will be the main characteristic of the timeline and I try to portray that in the first few years of my novel, After the Last Day. We must remember that no conceivable post-collapse world can have anywhere near 7 billion people, thus reducing both demand and human labour available. Diesel engines can be adapted to run on pure vegetable oil (Diesel originally wanted that)but I'm not sure Joe's garage can make the parts necessary and we won't be ordering them on the internet. Oxen may be the choice source of farm power, not horses and they have the added attraction of being more acceptable food as they wear out.<br />As we have often discussed, different places will have different solutions and deal with unique problems so, in the chaos of collapse, we cannot plan in detail.<br />You focus nicely on the nitty gritty here.Don Haywardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10229684724312837788noreply@blogger.com