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I'd like to see the actual breakdown...
...but an obvious source of loss is the power grid. No wire has zero impedance and when you ship electricity across a lot of miles a significant fraction is wasted as heat. Transformers aren't 100% efficient either, and stepping up the voltage from the power plant to send it across the power grid (done to minimise transmission-line loss), and then stepping it down again for the end user, wastes energy.

Another huge waste is that idiotic contraption, the reciprocating 4-cycle internal combustion engine. It varies, but only about 30-40% of the gas you put in your car actually results in push from your engine--the rest is wasted as heat from your radiator. Then there's another huge loss in your transission and drive train.

I'm surprised, if the article is correct, that overall efficiency is even as high as 38%.
Posted by: Henry Miller   Posted on: 01/25/07 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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What about Nuclear Energy?  nucrash | 01/24/07
In less than 20 years, nuclear is gone.  Anton Philidor | 01/24/07
Which is too bad  StanB | 01/24/07
I think you are wrong...  Linux User 147560 | 01/25/07
Only if we can store the waste in your back yard  John L. Ries | 01/24/07
Much of the fuel isn't fully spent in the first place  nucrash | 01/24/07
In the mean time...  John L. Ries | 01/24/07
It already IS stored in my back yard!  impala_sc | 01/25/07
How is 62% of energy wasted?  Anton Philidor | 01/24/07
Answer: California  nucrash | 01/24/07
Except...  Anton Philidor | 01/24/07
I'd like to see the actual breakdown...  Henry Miller | 01/25/07
Technical problems can have technical solutions.  Anton Philidor | 01/25/07
Conserve, but in a different way  Mark Miller | 01/25/07
Sounds to me like it IS the technology  Michael Kelly | 01/24/07
The Groebbel's effect  frgough | 01/24/07
Care to back that up with some facts?  Tigertank | 01/24/07
The scientific conclusion...  Anton Philidor | 01/24/07
Why it is different now.  enduser_z | 01/24/07
Better global warming than global cooling.  osreinstall | 01/25/07
Consumers not being able to AFFORD to is the problem.  HypnoToad72 | 01/24/07
Prejudice towards the inconvenient.  enduser_z | 01/24/07
Sorry, but other first world nations  Linux User 147560 | 01/24/07
Nasa satellite data  frgough | 01/24/07
Now why would we want to do that...  John L. Ries | 01/24/07
take a few years back to back however...  Jack-Booted EULA | 01/24/07
It's hard to imagine how people can *still* deny global warming  stevey_d | 01/24/07
Exaggeration  Anton Philidor | 01/24/07
But if you're going to crash and burn anyway...  Henry Miller | 01/25/07
Mankind went thru a few global warmings and coolings.  osreinstall | 01/25/07
I do question the cause  Mark Miller | 01/25/07
Everyone I know feels THEY'RE TOO IMPORTANT  Feldwebel Wolfenstool | 01/24/07
Everyone switch to Electric Cars!  ffinder | 01/25/07
Zero emissions...  Henry Miller | 01/25/07
There solutions are simple in concept...  Linux User 147560 | 01/25/07
This just in: People are lazy and don't give a crap  ejhonda | 01/25/07
focus on transportation all wrong  impala_sc | 01/25/07
Nope... you are thinking 19th century...  Linux User 147560 | 01/25/07
You cannot kill big oil  osreinstall | 01/25/07
Been there checked it out...  Linux User 147560 | 01/25/07
Already have them bookmarked  osreinstall | 01/25/07
Hmmm well I still don't see the need for  Linux User 147560 | 01/25/07
Uppp never mind I found it...  Linux User 147560 | 01/25/07
Some people's needs vary.  osreinstall | 01/25/07
Some more links to check out.  Linux User 147560 | 01/25/07
Another design down under.  osreinstall | 01/25/07
Cool!  Linux User 147560 | 01/25/07
I thought it was too.  osreinstall | 01/26/07
I'm being real  impala_sc | 01/25/07
sorry about the italics  impala_sc | 01/25/07
terawatts per year  hart134@... | 01/25/07

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