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Thread ID: 118567 2011-06-11 11:09:00 New Zealand Oil Bladez (16417) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1208390 2011-06-12 06:33:00 We just need to find something that will remove oil from the equation after all the technology is ancient gary67 (56)
1208391 2011-06-12 07:55:00 We could go back to using whale oil......www.petroleumhistory.org :lol:

Are you thinking of whale farming? if so that might have some merit.
Cicero (40)
1208392 2011-06-12 09:06:00 Are you thinking of whale farming? if so that might have some merit.
Do you really think you could get resource consent for that.:D:D
mikebartnz (21)
1208393 2011-06-12 09:06:00 Fixed that for you.

NO. CliveM is correct. Petrofuel is more efficient in terms of current technology.

Combustion engines are more efficient too until we develop a cheap alternative. Global transportation depends upon the infrastructure for combustion engines. Fix that cheaply, and then you'll see change.
Winston001 (3612)
1208394 2011-06-12 09:09:00 So there it is, potentially 250,000 billion drums or more of oil just off the coast of New Zealand. And yet the price of fuel in that country in the last 2 years has Doubled.

If the Oil is in New Zealand waters and the price of Oil controls the cost of Fuel? Then WTF????

I think a little country like NZ should get off its lazy S. O. B. behinds and make its own damn fuel. Are they really just going to let Oil corporations just walk all over them? What are they SHEEP?

So what are you trying to say Bladez?

If a viable oil field is discovered, we will be paid a royalty per barrel. But the cost of fuel will still follow the international price.
Winston001 (3612)
1208395 2011-06-12 09:23:00 NO. CliveM is correct. Petrofuel is more efficient in terms of current technology.

Combustion engines are more efficient too until we develop a cheap alternative. Global transportation depends upon the infrastructure for combustion engines. Fix that cheaply, and then you'll see change.
The petrol engine is not efficient (about 23% if I recall correctly) which is what I said not that it was less efficient than others so I stand by what I fixed.
One of the big things with electricity is the loss in transmission which can be around 30% so it makes a lot of sense to have generation as near as possible to the point of use. Have you seen that solar powered boat travelling around the world. Looks like it would take off in a good wind.
mikebartnz (21)
1208396 2011-06-12 09:48:00 Do you really think you could get resource consent for that.:D:D

Not sure, I thought Terry had gone into that, so he might know more?
Cicero (40)
1208397 2011-06-12 10:38:00 The petrol engine is not efficient (about 23% if I recall correctly) which is what I said not that it was less efficient than others so I stand by what I fixed.
One of the big things with electricity is the loss in transmission which can be around 30% so it makes a lot of sense to have generation as near as possible to the point of use. Have you seen that solar powered boat travelling around the world. Looks like it would take off in a good wind.

Understood but to correctly calculate efficiency in terms of resources (which is what we are discussing) it is necessary to consider the mining, smelting, transportation, and industrialisation required to deliver and store energy at the point of use.

At present organic-carbon fuels are lightyears ahead of anything else.

Just to illustrate: from one unit of oil, 14X energy is derived. From one unit of biofuel 1.2X at best. Solar cells at max yield 15% of total energy. Hydro could be efficient except for high losses in transmission and storage (battery). Hydrogen cells are expensive and currently not efficient - there is an example of such a generator in a hospital which yields only 0.4X energy output.

Edit: check out this new engine en.wikipedia.org
Winston001 (3612)
1208398 2011-06-12 10:45:00 Incidentally, I'm very keen on new technologies and think oil is far too valuable to waste by burning it. Unfortunately I've come to realise most alternatives are complex, tricky, and worst of all, require huge mineral resources.

For example - copper. Until we can find a cheap alternative to conduct electricity, there isn't enough copper on the planet for all the motor windings required to serve the brave new world of hydrogen cells etc.

Storage: right now our batteries are based on expensive heavy metals. We can mine them certainly as long as you don't mind the pollution which follows.
Winston001 (3612)
1208399 2011-06-12 11:13:00 Amazing to think that the reciprocating motor has not bee surpassed, not even by the Wankel,being as it rotates I would have thought it would have been more efficient. Cicero (40)
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