Electric Ski Boat

Pete, would nuclear reaction be considered green? a golfball size piece powers a nuc sub for 6 months

Pete hits the nail on the head here. The electric used to power the motors (typical motor = 90% efficient) comes from the batteries. The batteries get their juice from a power plant (typical = 33% efficient) or the onboard internal combustion engine (typical = 25-30%) powering a generator (typical = 95%.)

Quick and dirty efficiency here... if you're using the juice from the grid to charge the batteries, to then power the motors & turn the prop, you're at around 29% efficiency. Say you run it out of juice, and need to use the onboard engine to get a charge...so now you're at 25% efficiency.

How is that any better than using just the regular old engine in the first place(25-30% efficient)??? Robbing Peter to pay Paul, and calling it green....I don't think so.

I'm with J-Bear...I wanna hear the V8 make some noise, especially when it's not affecting the environment any more than a "green" engine.

***This is not to say that there will not be a greener solution in the future.

Good point Chris, the APU's definitely are more efficient ICE's than a normal 351w or similar.

On that same subject, there is definitely some grid power that is produced above the 33% efficient I used, but I was just aiming for an typical fossil fuel powered plant.

There definitely are some neat things going on in the alternative power industries.

The gas generator would work like the generator on the soon to be released chevy volt.

That little generator motor burns a lot less gas than the 5.8 liter v8.

Now as to my grid energy, we got rid of coal power a long time ago. I am a lot closer to Milwaukee than Green Bay. Like 15 minutes north of Milwaukee close;)

Actually we pull electricity from Port Washington, like 8 minutes away.
That Port Washington facility went from coal to natural gas in like 2004.

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eric lavine wrote: better wake up, cruising at cruise speed, 5 hours then charge hydrogen over electric, not much trade off, but finding the hydrogen is the problem

Quite honestly I could care less what I drive so bring on the hybrids or whatever else there is to relieve the oil dependency BUT you're not taking away my american v-8 dino juice burning noise maker.

You can't stop progress so let them make whatever fits the purpose but you'll definately hear me coming.

JoeinNY wrote: but I am young yet and I can adapt.

ha, I'm old and cranky so I limit my adaptabilty to daily transportation not my toys!

My $.02.

Right now it is not really about efficiency. It's about long term renewable and clean energy. Use those terms and be labeled "liberal," "treehugger," or "environmental wacko." Not the way to win votes if you are a politician, and not the way to make money if you are in the business. Particularly not when people are struggling to pay for things as they already exist. As Joe said, eventually the efficiencies will be there, but those with vested interests must find a way to sell ideas and make money in the short term.

Short term for politicians, and those in business to make money, it's about what it takes to sell the ideas and products. Whether true or false, electrics and hybrids are labeled in the manner that sells. A 50 mpg Prius is labeled as fuel efficient, and economical, whether the actual numbers are there or not. They talk about "green" and "saving the earth," but these are arguments which don't appeal to the masses. I think you see much more marketing emphasis on creating jobs in a new marketplace, and on saving money, which, again, true or false, are the messages which people want to hear.

BKH

i would bet my life in the early years, 1900 ish, there were the steam engines and the the masses having discussions of....how could that petrol burning thing ever replace a steam engine??? its not possible.
there were guys that said it was impossible to fly...