Why can't we develop a fuel for cars without using nuclear power or fossil fuels?

Question

It seems as if the atmosphere is getting thinner. Global warming is getting worse and we're using fossil fuels to power our cars and pollute the enviorment. Isn't there anyway possible we could stop this pollution and figure out some other way to transport ourselves from point A to point B? And is it really necessary to have soo many factories spewing pollution into the air? Aren't there plenty of things in this world we could get by without? Aren't we humans supposed to be smart?

Answer 1

Electric vehicles (EV) are on the road right now. Do a search on 'EV' and you'll find hundreds of sites. I would venture that most of them are charged using grid electricity which is mainly produced by non-renewable sources, but it is also possible to charge the batteries for EVs using solar and wind generators. But what has held back PV (solar) panels thus far is the high cost of the equipment. That is about to change though. I found a company that will rent all the solar panels you need for your home. The rent price is based on the actual amount of the electricity that is produced and there is a performance guarantee. And the rent price can be fixed for 25 years. I think this will make solar power very easy for almost anyone to have. A very smart idea wouldn't you say? Email me if you want more info on this company. [e-mail]

Answer 2

I'm not going to jump into the global warming debate other than to say regardless of whether or not global warming is caused by humans, polution is nevertheless deleterious and could and should be reduced in any case.
Are there things we could do without? Sure. But how many people will choose to do so simply out of altruism when they otherwise could have those things. Corporations are not the only "greedy" entities. It's just human nature. Also, for a good explation of how this works google "one more cow" "game theory"
Now, as for alternate fuel sources. Fossil fuels is currently the most economical fuel source. Convienient, relatively cheap, portable, and a vast installed infrastructure. To compete, an alternate must be comparatively cost effective. This means that an alternative must be found that can be cheaper to utilize - or - fossil fuels must become more expensive in comparison to other alternatives so as to make the alternatives cheaper in comparison. Unfortunately, the later results is overall higher fuel costs. Because of the massive installed infrastruction, the alternate fuel must be either compatible with that infrastructure, of so advantagous as to incentivise a changeover in infrastructure. (this is called the "network effect" in economics - this is the same reason why Windows is the dominant operating system and unlikely to change in the forseeable future).
Many people accuse the oil industry or automakers of actively interfering in in the adoption of alternate fuel sources. Firstly, automakers will build cars to satisfy whatever the demand is. This has been repeatedly demonstrated. Witness competition with higher quality and more fuel efficient Japansese cars in the 70's and 80's and now the popularity of hybrids (note that hybrids require no alteration of the existing infrastructure). And if there is profit to be made in producing alternate fuels, sombody will do so, whether the oil companies or someone else, but not until then. Unfortunately, it will not be profitable until the infrastructure for an alternate fuel is in place - the "network effect" strikes back. People won't buy alternate fuel cars (demand) until the infrastructure is in place to deliver the alternate fuel (supply), and the infrastructure will not be built until the demand is present - chicken and egg problem.
It is not for lack of trying. Think of it, there would be a massive profit incentive to be the supplier of a new alternate fuel souce - you could "rule the world" , or at least the energy market. However this would require massive investment in infrastucture, even if you had the "magic" fuel. The investment is occuring in R&D at universities around the world (who wouldn't want to invent a new energy souce for their PhD?). So in short, it not's for lack of trying, it's just simply incredibly difficult to compete with the current economic landscape of fossil fuel - efficient, relatively inexpensive, existing infrastructure.

Answer 3

First of all, how do you know that humans are causing Global Warming? Are you aware that the Earth actually goes through an ice age and extinction every 11,500 years like clockwork? Paleontologists from Berkley University in California have confirmed this. We are more than likely to be headed into an ice age that begins with warming. The area that I live in gets buried under hundreds of feet of ice. Although its pretty clear that we are going though a warming period, it is unlikely that humans have much of an affect. Underground volcanoes and natural Earth events have a larger impact on warming than humans do.
As far as energy sources, the most hopeful is hydrogen, but there are some challenges that need to be overcome with this source such as how to keep the fuel stored at extremely low temperatures which requires energy to do so. Some of the auto companies have prototypes coming out and eventually the short comings of hydrogen will be overcome. Also, hybrids are a step to hydrogen power because they use the same kind of electric drive train as hydrogen cars.

Don't believe everything you hear in the media by politicians and Hollywood idiots after publicity. Make you own mind up about global warming by doing your own research. You may be surprised when you find the truth.

Also, a better reason to get off of fossil fuels is that it makes us dependent on unstable countries for our fuel supply. This competition over scarce resources makes us vulnerable to war and killing. I for one do not want to fight and die for oil.

Answer 4

Cold Fusion will do the job, but until that time we need to find a way to separate Hydrogen from water, the most plentiful fuel around. If we humans are so smart, why do we still think that the human species is in danger of extinction, we must at the rate of reproduction, that is why our planet is so screwed up and getting worse, too many of us consumers. Earth population doubles every 10 years. Read the paperback, the " Late Great Planet Earth". Too many people riding in a Volkswagon!

Answer 5

That has been a question that I have been asking for a VERY long time.. Just think.. what would the world be like if we had an alternative to fuel.... Would wars be minimized? Would there be turmoil in the Mideast? I am POSITIVE in my mind that the large oil companies would do their best to keep alternatives from becoming a reality...

Answer 6

Nobody knows how to do that. If someone did, they would be cashing in on that idea right now and getting rich.

By the way, the atmosphere is not getting thinner.

Answer 7

its all about money,,the icelandic countrys are he ones i think that stand the best possible place to make hydrogen with their free thermogeo resorces free steam to power generators to convert water in to hydrogen..but there is no distrubution system for the volital fuel yet but when the word comes that oil is hard to find it will all bust loose..

Answer 8

Well some of are smart, What cave have you been hiding in ?

there are Lot's of alternative fuels on the market.
How many are you using ? Or do you just like to complain

Answer 9

Well, it takes money to develop these fuels and then you have to have the infrastructure available to supply the fuel to the cars. Would you spend extra for the car to save the environment and then have limited refueling.

Talk is cheap.

Answer 10

we can make hydrogen.pass electricity from a carbon electrode through salt water to an electrode made from copper.oxygen bubbles form on the carbon side and hydrogen on the copper side.the electricity can be solar generated.