Comments for Green Good World http://www.greengoodworld.com For Living Green News and Resources Wed, 26 Jan 2011 00:04:59 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 Comment on Is there a way to make car paint that collects solar and wind energy to power an electric car? by Adam B http://www.greengoodworld.com/solar-energy-power/is-there-a-way-to-make-car-paint-that-collects-solar-and-wind-energy-to-power-an-electric-car/comment-page-1#comment-6528 Adam B Wed, 26 Jan 2011 00:04:59 +0000 http://www.greengoodworld.com/solar-energy-power/is-there-a-way-to-make-car-paint-that-collects-solar-and-wind-energy-to-power-an-electric-car#comment-6528 Actually the solar paint idea is already in the research stage and should be commercially available withing a few years. There is a post about it here: http://www.neutralexistence.com/blog/solar-power-paint-is-25-years-away/ Now of course the electricity generated from the surface of a car will not run a typical car sustainably, but hey it will increase the gas mileage of a plugin hybrid and lessen the drain on the electrical grid at night. As far as the idea regarding the fibers on the car generating electricity from the wind. This violates Newtons laws of thermodynamics and basically the drag introduced by the fibers would compensate for any electricity generated from the wind. The drag and electricity generated are directly proportional, so you would not gain anything, you would just loose money for the installation and create shadows which would lessen the effect of the solar paint.<br><b>References : </b><br> Actually the solar paint idea is already in the research stage and should be commercially available withing a few years. There is a post about it here:
http://www.neutralexistence.com/blog/solar-power-paint-is-25-years-away/

Now of course the electricity generated from the surface of a car will not run a typical car sustainably, but hey it will increase the gas mileage of a plugin hybrid and lessen the drain on the electrical grid at night.

As far as the idea regarding the fibers on the car generating electricity from the wind. This violates Newtons laws of thermodynamics and basically the drag introduced by the fibers would compensate for any electricity generated from the wind. The drag and electricity generated are directly proportional, so you would not gain anything, you would just loose money for the installation and create shadows which would lessen the effect of the solar paint.
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]]> Comment on Is there a way to make car paint that collects solar and wind energy to power an electric car? by David http://www.greengoodworld.com/solar-energy-power/is-there-a-way-to-make-car-paint-that-collects-solar-and-wind-energy-to-power-an-electric-car/comment-page-1#comment-6527 David Tue, 25 Jan 2011 23:14:59 +0000 http://www.greengoodworld.com/solar-energy-power/is-there-a-way-to-make-car-paint-that-collects-solar-and-wind-energy-to-power-an-electric-car#comment-6527 you can f a r t in a tube and feed your own methane into the engine to be burned as fuel.<br><b>References : </b><br> you can f a r t in a tube and feed your own methane into the engine to be burned as fuel.
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]]> Comment on Is there a way to make car paint that collects solar and wind energy to power an electric car? by roderick_young http://www.greengoodworld.com/solar-energy-power/is-there-a-way-to-make-car-paint-that-collects-solar-and-wind-energy-to-power-an-electric-car/comment-page-1#comment-6526 roderick_young Tue, 25 Jan 2011 23:06:59 +0000 http://www.greengoodworld.com/solar-energy-power/is-there-a-way-to-make-car-paint-that-collects-solar-and-wind-energy-to-power-an-electric-car#comment-6526 There's nothing like that today. I'm more optimistic about the solar idea, because the wind idea seems to violate some basic laws of thermodynamics. There is a maximum percentage of the wind's energy that a turbine can capture, and that's nowhere near 100%. So trying to harest the energy of wind rushing by a passing car would slow the car down more than the energy one could retrieve. Solar paint exists, but is too inefficient today to be of practical use. Development continues. If someone is able to make a cheap solar paint, it will benefit not only cars, but everything. You could paint it on the umbrellas over restaurant tables. On tents. On every rooftop. The energy from solar would not carry today's heavy cars very far. Prototype electric cars targeted at solar tend to be very light, and get 2-5 miles per kWh. That's 10-15 miles on a day's charge, usable in some situations. The solar would not supply enough to continuously drive the car, unfortunately.<br><b>References : </b><br> There’s nothing like that today. I’m more optimistic about the solar idea, because the wind idea seems to violate some basic laws of thermodynamics. There is a maximum percentage of the wind’s energy that a turbine can capture, and that’s nowhere near 100%. So trying to harest the energy of wind rushing by a passing car would slow the car down more than the energy one could retrieve.

Solar paint exists, but is too inefficient today to be of practical use. Development continues. If someone is able to make a cheap solar paint, it will benefit not only cars, but everything. You could paint it on the umbrellas over restaurant tables. On tents. On every rooftop.

The energy from solar would not carry today’s heavy cars very far. Prototype electric cars targeted at solar tend to be very light, and get 2-5 miles per kWh. That’s 10-15 miles on a day’s charge, usable in some situations. The solar would not supply enough to continuously drive the car, unfortunately.
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]]> Comment on Is there a way to make car paint that collects solar and wind energy to power an electric car? by jon http://www.greengoodworld.com/solar-energy-power/is-there-a-way-to-make-car-paint-that-collects-solar-and-wind-energy-to-power-an-electric-car/comment-page-1#comment-6525 jon Tue, 25 Jan 2011 22:46:59 +0000 http://www.greengoodworld.com/solar-energy-power/is-there-a-way-to-make-car-paint-that-collects-solar-and-wind-energy-to-power-an-electric-car#comment-6525 Research to develop the idea ! You can be the New Donald Trump! He got started with worse ideas<br><b>References : </b><br> Research to develop the idea ! You can be the New Donald Trump! He got started with worse ideas
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]]> Comment on Is there a way to make car paint that collects solar and wind energy to power an electric car? by Save a tree bob http://www.greengoodworld.com/solar-energy-power/is-there-a-way-to-make-car-paint-that-collects-solar-and-wind-energy-to-power-an-electric-car/comment-page-1#comment-6524 Save a tree bob Tue, 25 Jan 2011 22:06:59 +0000 http://www.greengoodworld.com/solar-energy-power/is-there-a-way-to-make-car-paint-that-collects-solar-and-wind-energy-to-power-an-electric-car#comment-6524 No. Air drag is one of the chief components in auto efficiency. What you describe would increase air drag. As far as the solar part goes most cars have about 12 square feet of surface in the sun when the car is in the sun. 12 square feet can produce 900 watts. In four hours that would be 2700 Watt hours. A gallon of gasoline is about 37,000 Watt hours. What means is is that it is going to take over 100 days to produce the energy of one gallon of gasoline and everything has to be perfect.<br><b>References : </b><br> No. Air drag is one of the chief components in auto efficiency. What you describe would increase air drag.
As far as the solar part goes most cars have about 12 square feet of surface in the sun when the car is in the sun. 12 square feet can produce 900 watts. In four hours that would be 2700 Watt hours. A gallon of gasoline is about 37,000 Watt hours. What means is is that it is going to take over 100 days to produce the energy of one gallon of gasoline and everything has to be perfect.
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]]> Comment on Is it economical to run a solar energy to power my electricals at home? by Dr. Deth http://www.greengoodworld.com/solar-energy-power/is-it-economical-to-run-a-solar-energy-to-power-my-electricals-at-home/comment-page-1#comment-6444 Dr. Deth Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:07:59 +0000 http://www.greengoodworld.com/solar-energy-power/is-it-economical-to-run-a-solar-energy-to-power-my-electricals-at-home#comment-6444 the first step is to reduce the amount of electric you currently use - switch to more efficient appliances, use CFL light bulbs, improve house insulation, replace windows,etc. Then you won't need as big a solar system - which is still very expensive<br><b>References : </b><br> the first step is to reduce the amount of electric you currently use – switch to more efficient appliances, use CFL light bulbs, improve house insulation, replace windows,etc. Then you won’t need as big a solar system – which is still very expensive
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]]> Comment on Is it economical to run a solar energy to power my electricals at home? by Ken L http://www.greengoodworld.com/solar-energy-power/is-it-economical-to-run-a-solar-energy-to-power-my-electricals-at-home/comment-page-1#comment-6443 Ken L Mon, 17 Jan 2011 16:28:59 +0000 http://www.greengoodworld.com/solar-energy-power/is-it-economical-to-run-a-solar-energy-to-power-my-electricals-at-home#comment-6443 There are lots of good facts so far - I only have to pay 6 cents per KwH, and looked into solar panels - there are two levels, one is independant of the grid, costing about 50k. The other links with the grid for 20k and up, depending on where you live and how much you need to power everything. The grid link systems allow you to sell power back to the company, but the independant makes you immune when they have a blackout. There is another, WAY cheaper solution, that was in the news in Australia. There's a guy there that made a new type of wind turbine - a three bladed (well, not really blades) cylinder thingie about 6 feet long and about 3 feet in diameter. Two of these can power a ranch house in Australia, for a cost of $800 or so each (AU dollars, I'm guessing). As soon as these become available worldwide, the cost would be WAY lower. I bet big companies crush him before word gets out... Downside to those is the battery technology, which is still pretty bad for the environment currently. We need to work on that. Hit my blog and comment if you have ideas.<br><b>References : </b><br>spinornospin.blogspot.com There are lots of good facts so far – I only have to pay 6 cents per KwH, and looked into solar panels – there are two levels, one is independant of the grid, costing about 50k. The other links with the grid for 20k and up, depending on where you live and how much you need to power everything. The grid link systems allow you to sell power back to the company, but the independant makes you immune when they have a blackout.

There is another, WAY cheaper solution, that was in the news in Australia. There’s a guy there that made a new type of wind turbine – a three bladed (well, not really blades) cylinder thingie about 6 feet long and about 3 feet in diameter. Two of these can power a ranch house in Australia, for a cost of $800 or so each (AU dollars, I’m guessing). As soon as these become available worldwide, the cost would be WAY lower.

I bet big companies crush him before word gets out…

Downside to those is the battery technology, which is still pretty bad for the environment currently. We need to work on that.

Hit my blog and comment if you have ideas.
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spinornospin.blogspot.com

]]> Comment on Is it economical to run a solar energy to power my electricals at home? by Eric http://www.greengoodworld.com/solar-energy-power/is-it-economical-to-run-a-solar-energy-to-power-my-electricals-at-home/comment-page-1#comment-6442 Eric Mon, 17 Jan 2011 15:58:59 +0000 http://www.greengoodworld.com/solar-energy-power/is-it-economical-to-run-a-solar-energy-to-power-my-electricals-at-home#comment-6442 Unfortunately to use solar panels that convert sunlight directly into electricity is not economical or energy efficient. The only time it is really worth it is if you are in a remote location and it is one of your only options. Solar panels lose 40% of the energy from the sun as heat loss. If instead you used solar collectors to directly heat the water you use in your home you would save more money and energy. Solar Collector systems are much cheaper. Why convert the suns energy to electricity only to turn around an convert it to heat again to warm your water? Photoelectric Solar panels are very expensive to produce money-wise, and energy-wise. With current technology the amount of energy that is used to produce a photoelectric panel is MORE than the amount of energy it will ever produce. The quality of Silicon Crystal required does not occur naturally and the process that it takes to produce it is very energy intensive. ( 2100-2300 degree C temps are required ) Photoelectric power has the perception of being "green" but only if you leave the production process out of the equation. as for the money side, you might be able to come out ahead if you can buy the panels outright and recieve a tax break. Then if you live in a very sunny area, the more direct sunlight you get the more benefit you recieve.<br><b>References : </b><br> Unfortunately to use solar panels that convert sunlight directly into electricity is not economical or energy efficient. The only time it is really worth it is if you are in a remote location and it is one of your only options.

Solar panels lose 40% of the energy from the sun as heat loss. If instead you used solar collectors to directly heat the water you use in your home you would save more money and energy. Solar Collector systems are much cheaper. Why convert the suns energy to electricity only to turn around an convert it to heat again to warm your water?

Photoelectric Solar panels are very expensive to produce money-wise, and energy-wise. With current technology the amount of energy that is used to produce a photoelectric panel is MORE than the amount of energy it will ever produce. The quality of Silicon Crystal required does not occur naturally and the process that it takes to produce it is very energy intensive. ( 2100-2300 degree C temps are required ) Photoelectric power has the perception of being "green" but only if you leave the production process out of the equation.

as for the money side, you might be able to come out ahead if you can buy the panels outright and recieve a tax break. Then if you live in a very sunny area, the more direct sunlight you get the more benefit you recieve.
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]]> Comment on Is it economical to run a solar energy to power my electricals at home? by GABY http://www.greengoodworld.com/solar-energy-power/is-it-economical-to-run-a-solar-energy-to-power-my-electricals-at-home/comment-page-1#comment-6441 GABY Mon, 17 Jan 2011 15:09:59 +0000 http://www.greengoodworld.com/solar-energy-power/is-it-economical-to-run-a-solar-energy-to-power-my-electricals-at-home#comment-6441 No. You will spend $20,000 to save about 20KWH/day on a very sunny day. Since power cost averages $.10 or 10 cents per KWH, you will save nowhere near enough to ever get your money back. Best to get a little car or little house. Will save much more energy and save money as well.<br><b>References : </b><br> No. You will spend $20,000 to save about 20KWH/day on a very sunny day. Since power cost averages $.10 or 10 cents per KWH, you will save nowhere near enough to ever get your money back.

Best to get a little car or little house. Will save much more energy and save money as well.
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]]> Comment on Is it economical to run a solar energy to power my electricals at home? by Noone N http://www.greengoodworld.com/solar-energy-power/is-it-economical-to-run-a-solar-energy-to-power-my-electricals-at-home/comment-page-1#comment-6440 Noone N Mon, 17 Jan 2011 15:00:59 +0000 http://www.greengoodworld.com/solar-energy-power/is-it-economical-to-run-a-solar-energy-to-power-my-electricals-at-home#comment-6440 No, it is not economical at all. A typical installation will cost you about US$50,000 and you will never be able to pay it off with energy savings.<br><b>References : </b><br> No, it is not economical at all. A typical installation will cost you about US$50,000 and you will never be able to pay it off with energy savings.
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