What is the most viable form of alternative energy to power the airline and trucking industries?

moondust

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Sat Jun-12-10 12:43 AM
Original message

What is the most viable form of alternative energy to power the airline and trucking industries?

:shrug:

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XemaSab

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Sat Jun-12-10 12:49 AM
Response to Original message

1. Nuclear

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Jackpine Radical

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Sat Jun-12-10 12:49 AM
Response to Original message

2. I think your premise is wrong. Rather, ask

"What can we do to drastically reduce the amount of fuel consumed by airliners & trucks?"

The answer, in my opinion, is to replace both with rail. An energy-efficient high-speed rail line from coast to coast (300 mph) would actually be faster than flying when you take all the time-consuming airport hassles into account. A rejuvenated freight system could replace trucks for all but short hauls, with immense savings in energy, road repairs, etc.

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The Magistrate

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Sat Jun-12-10 01:06 AM
Response to Reply #2

5. Hear Hear, Sir! Steel Rails In Parallel....

No mode of engine driven transport is so efficient in use of fuel.

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Fumesucker

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Sat Jun-12-10 01:20 AM
Response to Reply #2

7. While trains are certainly a good idea they are remarkably infrastructure intensive..

One reason for this is that trains are not good at climbing or descending grades, rail lines have to be kept to much less steep angle than a road is, that makes it more difficult and costly to build a rail line than a road.

It will be decades at least before sufficient rail line is built to handle even a fraction of the current load of the airline and trucking industries.

What shall we do in the meantime?

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Jackpine Radical

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Sat Jun-12-10 10:04 AM
Response to Reply #7

12. ...and my dream would be to put lots of people to work building a 21st Century

America.

As for the railroad grades, you are of course right. But remember that we once had rail service everywhere in the country, and could reclaim the old rights of way if we wished.

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CanSocDem

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Sat Jun-12-10 10:23 AM
Response to Reply #12

13. Indeed!

I like the idea of a 'road train'. Designate an east-west interstate and a north-south interstate as TRUCKS ONLY; build vehicles (trucks/trailers) that would pull 50+- loads at a time.

Remove the excessive horsepower requirements of having to keep up with and avoid non-commercial traffic. Utilize 21st Century computer technology. Remove the incentives to waste time and resources.

Simple.

.

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Fumesucker

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Sat Jun-12-10 11:20 AM
Response to Reply #12

15. Have you ever heard of String Rail?

Edited on Sat Jun-12-10 11:21 AM by Fumesucker

This is an interesting technology that could revolutionize rail transportation.

http://www.gizmag.com/unitsky-string-transport-rail-suspended/15300/?utm_source=Gizmag+Subscribers&utm_campaign=53bb81f056-UA-2235360-4&utm_medium=email

Edited to add image.

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Jackpine Radical

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Sat Jun-12-10 12:40 PM
Response to Reply #15

16. Yes, I have, as a matter of fact.

It looks very interesting.

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Turbineguy

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Sat Jun-12-10 05:47 AM
Response to Reply #2

10. From Amsterdam to London

is faster by rail even though the flight only takes 45 minutes.

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petronius

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Sat Jun-12-10 12:54 AM
Response to Original message

3. I think airliners should be built as giant manual ornithopters

Each row of seats could have a lever, and the plane would fly as long as everybody kept it flapping. Passengers would get exercise, and there wouldn't be any more BS about seat-kicking, or loud talkers, or other annoyances.

Trucks, of course, should be replaced by giant zeppelins...

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Hardrada

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Sat Jun-12-10 01:02 AM
Response to Reply #3

4. Makes sense!

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Oregone

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Sat Jun-12-10 01:19 AM
Response to Original message

6. Apathy

Stop caring. About most everything. Stop buying shit. Stop consuming so fucking much. At the end of the day then, less will be shipped.

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Captain Boomerang

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Sat Jun-12-10 01:30 AM
Response to Original message

8. Grease...

*Used vegetable oil for trucks and more rail. (Have to use trucks to move boxes off the rail.)

*Start allowing land trains. Instead of doubles/triples, start pulling five to ten trailers at a time.

*Only fly with full planes.

*Use more local products.

*Re-create and adequate rail system.

*Bullet trains.

*Down size giant corporations and mega chain stores.

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TheMadMonk

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Sat Jun-12-10 04:15 AM
Response to Original message

9. Airline, none for now. Trucking, there are any number of short haul...

...options either here or on the horizon, and a return to rail (which can be either electric (or even nuclear)) takes care of long.

Nuclear-electric has something to offer in that trains need a lot of power to accelerate to speed but only a tiny amount for most of the time to maintain that speed. On a hybrid network cruising trains could feed power into the grid.

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chillspike

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Sat Jun-12-10 05:58 AM
Response to Original message

11. A giant underground pneumatic tube system

Like the ones they use at bank drive-ups but bigger.

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hootinholler

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Sat Jun-12-10 11:11 AM
Response to Original message

14. Fuel Cells

Aircraft engine manufacturers are working on fuel cell powered jet motors to replace jet engines. The trucking industry would be almost a direct replacement and there are less fuel stations that would need conversion.

-Hoot

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