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poweRob
Joined: 14 Jul 2004
Posts: 22717
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| Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 12:27 pm Post subject: Iceland to go OIL FREE! |
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Way to go ICELAND! I hope this goes over well. What an precendent to set.
Quote: Iceland the First Country to Try Abandoning Gasoline
REYKJAVIK, Iceland— Iceland has energy to spare, and the small country has found a cutting-edge way to reduce its oil dependency. Volcanoes formed the island nation out of ash and lava, and molten rock heats huge underground lakes to the boiling point.
The hot water — energy sizzling beneath the surface — is piped into cities and stored in giant tanks, providing heat for homes, businesses and even swimming pools.
The volcanoes melted ice, which formed rivers. The water runs through turbines, providing virtually all the country's electricity.
Iceland wants to make a full conversion and plans to modify its cars, buses and trucks to run on renewable energy — with no dependence on oil.
Water Turned Into Fuel
Iceland has already started by turning water into fuel — hydrogen fuel.
Here's how it works: Electrodes split the water into hydrogen and oxygen molecules. Hydrogen electrons pass through a conductor that creates the current to power an electric engine.
Hydrogen fuel now costs two to three times as much as gasoline, but gets up to three times the mileage of gas, making the overall cost about the same.
As an added benefit, there are no carbon emissions — only water vapor.
In the capital, Reykjavik, they are already testing three hydrogen-powered electric buses. The drivers are impressed.
"I like these buses better because with hydrogen you get no pollution," said bus driver Rognvaldur Jonatanlson.
By the middle of this century, all Icelanders will be required to run their cars only on hydrogen fuel, meaning no more gasoline.
"If we make hydrogen and use that as a fuel for transportation then we can run the whole society on our own local renewable energy sources," said Marie Maack of the Hydrogen Research Project.
Icelanders say they're committed to showing the world that by making fuel from water, it is possible to kick the oil habit. |
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Infinite911911
Joined: 20 Dec 2004
Posts: 6778
Location: Democratic Peoples Republic of New Jersey
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| Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 1:03 pm Post subject: |
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:clap:
{edited by Rob for the sake of dialup users :)} |
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Canadian-kid
Joined: 08 Apr 2005
Posts: 513
Location: Maratimes
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| Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 2:07 pm Post subject: |
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I thought that sweden was trying to be the first oil free nation? If I'm not mistaken they set their goal year to be oil free by 2020. But none the less this is an admirable goal for iceland to set; here's wishing them the best in their attempt!
:clap: |
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Infinite911911
Joined: 20 Dec 2004
Posts: 6778
Location: Democratic Peoples Republic of New Jersey
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| Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 2:15 pm Post subject: |
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Infinite911911 wrote: :clap:
{edited by Rob for the sake of dialup users :)}
One man clapping doesn't justified how great this is... :-D |
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poweRob
Joined: 14 Jul 2004
Posts: 22717
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| Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 2:18 pm Post subject: |
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Canadian-kid wrote: I thought that sweden was trying to be the first oil free nation? If I'm not mistaken they set their goal year to be oil free by 2020. But none the less this is an admirable goal for iceland to set; here's wishing them the best in their attempt!
:clap:
Iceland may be in the process on "one-upping" the Swedes.
Iceland has the distinct advantage of sitting directly on thermal pockets. They have LOTS of geothermal power plants. Very fortunate. They also control population by have VERY stringent borders for letting in immigrants. From what I understand it is extremely difficult to become a citizen of Iceland. |
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John Galt
Joined: 04 May 2004
Posts: 21655
Location: Minnesota
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| Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Good for them. Cheaper oil for us. BTW, they eat goat testicles in Iceland. |
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Infinite911911
Joined: 20 Dec 2004
Posts: 6778
Location: Democratic Peoples Republic of New Jersey
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| Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 2:30 pm Post subject: |
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| Hey Rob you have any figures that show the total amount of carbon that will not be produced due to this move? |
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poweRob
Joined: 14 Jul 2004
Posts: 22717
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| Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 2:37 pm Post subject: |
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Infinite911911 wrote: Hey Rob you have any figures that show the total amount of carbon that will not be produced due to this move?
I sure don't. Wish I did.
But as far as emissions, in another totally unrelated story...
Quote: U.S. Wind Industry to Break Installation Records, Expand by More Than 35% in 2005
*snip*
The wind power that is being added in 2005 alone will offset the emission of approximately 7 billion pounds of carbon dioxide, equivalent to keeping nearly 500,000 SUVs off the road. |
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Canadian-kid
Joined: 08 Apr 2005
Posts: 513
Location: Maratimes
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| Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 5:31 pm Post subject: |
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John Galt wrote: BTW, they eat goat testicles in Iceland.
And your point is? are you trying to take a shot at them? is this suposed to take away credibility for what they are attempting to do? seriously I would like to know what you intended by throwing that out there. |
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poweRob
Joined: 14 Jul 2004
Posts: 22717
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| Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 5:57 pm Post subject: |
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Canadian-kid wrote: John Galt wrote: BTW, they eat goat testicles in Iceland.
And your point is? are you trying to take a shot at them? is this suposed to take away credibility for what they are attempting to do? seriously I would like to know what you intended by throwing that out there.
He's just razzing me. He drops in on all my eco-threads like that. No biggie. Just giving me a hard time. |
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poweRob
Joined: 14 Jul 2004
Posts: 22717
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| Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 5:59 pm Post subject: |
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John Galt wrote: Good for them. Cheaper oil for us. BTW, they eat goat testicles in Iceland.
Cheaper oil for us? Doubt it. Unless you have the inside scoop that will force OPEC to a certain output because if Iceland's move actually effected the price of oil, OPEC would just cut back on output and jack the prices back up again.
Big oil is anything but a free market principle. It is a mafia organization. |
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black noise
Joined: 30 Oct 2004
Posts: 354
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| Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 8:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Wow, good for them. It's good to have someone lead the way and become an example of how a country could run without oil. |
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micfranklin
Joined: 19 Oct 2005
Posts: 10067
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
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| Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 8:53 pm Post subject: |
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Why can't we be like Iceland? Why can't we stop tearing up Alaska for cheap oil when we can find something else, like hydroelectricity or wind or solar energy or nuclear power?
I'm aware that we're not known for having hundreds of active volcanoes. |
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Zoot
Joined: 30 Oct 2005
Posts: 2194
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| Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 9:10 pm Post subject: |
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| This is truly awesome. I'd like to see New Zealand kick the oil habit, though we have another problem, which is our distance from everything. We rely on imports and exports, and tourism, enormously. Planes and boats use oil, and we don't allow nuclear-powered ships in our waters. |
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GTTofAK
Joined: 09 Jan 2005
Posts: 5968
Location: Alaska
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| Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 4:03 am Post subject: |
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micfranklin wrote: Why can't we be like Iceland? Why can't we stop tearing up Alaska for cheap oil when we can find something else, like hydroelectricity or wind or solar energy or nuclear power?
I'm aware that we're not known for having hundreds of active volcanoes.
We don't have a very small population coupled with a s**t load of geothermal energy thats why. |
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David
Joined: 28 Dec 2003
Posts: 12425
Location: Louisiana
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| Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 4:20 am Post subject: |
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micfranklin wrote: Why can't we be like Iceland? Why can't we stop tearing up Alaska for cheap oil when we can find something else, like hydroelectricity or wind or solar energy or nuclear power?
I'm aware that we're not known for having hundreds of active volcanoes.
Because of NIMBY and the environmentalists. |
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cap'n queasy
Joined: 15 May 2004
Posts: 34968
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| Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 4:49 am Post subject: |
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| I think it's pretty neat. Too bad the areas in which this is possible are limited. |
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Achilles The Myrmidon
Joined: 20 Nov 2004
Posts: 4649
Location: Hellas
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| Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 4:54 am Post subject: |
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John Galt wrote: Good for them. Cheaper oil for us. BTW, they eat goat testicles in Iceland. Cheaper? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Keep dreaming... |
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Sid
Joined: 26 Oct 2004
Posts: 4615
Location: Kansas
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| Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2006 1:03 am Post subject: |
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I know it has been suggested that kansas use windmills, but I think it's also been noted that that would take too much land space.
The Sahara is largly worthless to humans, with little to no animal population. What about feilds of solar pannels? |
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Gdawg007
Joined: 06 Jul 2004
Posts: 15292
Location: Albuquerque, NM
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| Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2006 1:12 am Post subject: |
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Rob wrote: Canadian-kid wrote: John Galt wrote: BTW, they eat goat testicles in Iceland.
And your point is? are you trying to take a shot at them? is this suposed to take away credibility for what they are attempting to do? seriously I would like to know what you intended by throwing that out there.
He's just razzing me. He drops in on all my eco-threads like that. No biggie. Just giving me a hard time.
Man, what's his problem? By the way, can you pass the Rocky Mountain Oysters this way? :rotf: |
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