Great News: I paid > $3.00/gallon for gas today

[Ivan Seeking]

Actually based on that limited info biodiesel from algae is more attractive than any of the alternatives. Ethanol is a horrendous idea. Electric cars are just as bad an idea. Fuel cell driven cars aren't as bad an idea, but still not great.

At first I thought it was a terrible idea because of my perception of diesel engines, plus, it sounded wacky, but after some homework I became an avid supporter. Right now I have algae growing in my office, and I hope to expand enough to run a generator [for limited testing] by the end of the summer.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Here is the bible of the industry. Keep in mind that it is now out of date and much cutting edge work in underway.
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/pdfs/biodiesel_from_algae.pdf

This was predicted to be competitive when fuel prices are double their 1998 levels, which I understand would be about $2 per gallon for diesel.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Oh yes, got to add one more very important point: Algae can be grown to produce biodiesel, ethanol, or hydrogen. It is a transition technology for the ultimate goal of an ultra-clean hydrogen economy.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

This is from 1998 whereas I think my other source was newer, ~2002, but this was easy and it lists the total US consumption for 1998 as ~94 quad BTUs.
http://energy.cr.usgs.gov/energy/stats_ctry/Stat1.html

 

[Astronuc]

Regular gasoline surged past $3.00/gal last week. It had been steadily rising.

Some relevant articles -

Passing the buck on fuel economy
Instead of ensuring that we use less gas, politicians and consumers take the easy way out, says Fortune's Alex Taylor.

Back in 2000, when gasoline was the cheapest liquid around, fuel economy ranked as the 29th most important attribute in buying a car. Today, when gas costs as much as $3.25 a gallon, good mileage still ranks only 22nd. Sound systems and convenience features rank higher as purchase considerations.

But rather than giving consumers an incentive to change their buying habits, Bush wants to force automakers to build more fuel efficient cars by raising the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards for passenger cars and light trucks.

. . .

If Bush wanted some guidance on how to quickly and efficiently meet his goals, he need only look to Europe and Japan, where the motor vehicle fleets get dramatically better mileage than they do in the United States. Cars average 36 mpg in Europe and 31 mpg in Japan vs. only 21 mpg in the United States.

The 'little white lies' about oil inventories
Price movements following the government's weekly inventory report used to be fairly predictable. No more.

Oil prices still sometimes make big moves right after the inventory figures are released each Wednesday morning.

I noticed the latest price jump came during the afternoon after the inventory numbers were released. I drove past the local gas station in the morning and the price was less than $3.00, and when I returned in the afternoon, they price had been increased by $0.10. Prior to that, the prices jumps had been a few cents per week.

 

[Moonbear]

Hmm...it still hasn't surpassed $3.00/gal here. It was up to $2.89 when I filled up yesterday, but has been holding steady there for a while. I'm sure they'll find a reason to raise it up even higher for the Memorial Day weekend though.

 

[Astronuc]

Our state has one of the highest excise taxes on gasoline in the country.

 

[dlgoff]

Astronuc. Why don't we hear about nuclear power? IMO it's the only way to go. Just think of all the hydrogen one could produce with just one 800 MW generator.

 

[Astronuc]

Gasoline, like diesel fuel or alcohol, is one of those fuels for transportation, rather than coal, oil, gas or nuclear which are used in electrical generation.

There is an initiative for hydrogen production using nuclear plants, but that is advanced technology still in the R&D phase. Then there is the matter of commercial acceptance for this form of nuclear energy.

We do have separate threads on nuclear energy in the Nuclear Engineering and P&WA forums.

Presently -

Worldwide, there are 28 new nuclear reactors being built, 64 on the drawing boards and another 158 proposed, according to John S. Herold's Ruppel. If all those reactors get built, it would mean 57 percent more reactors from the 435 in operation.

from Forbes online.

 

[hypatia]

Gas prices JUMPED, in 3 days its now $3.15 for reg. {faints}.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

With 100 nuclear power plants operating in the US, the energy yield is about 9.8% of our total energy production, and 7.6% of our total energy consumption. So it would take more than ten times the number of plants of similar size to meet all of our energy needs assuming that the well-to-wheels and dust-to-dust efficiency of a nuclear powered US translates as 1:1 with our current energy structure. I suggest that another species will rule the planet before this could ever happen; esp given that we live in an age of terrorism.

I think I paid $3.49 for gas in Seattle.

late edits

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Weekly U.S. Retail Gasoline Prices, Regular Grade
Dollars per gallon, including all taxes
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/wrgp/mogas_home_page.html

 

[Ian]

Petrol here in the United Kingdom averages £0.93 per litre, that converts to about $7.50 per gallon I think.
Stop moaning and start crying for us!

 

[u83rn00b]

You know that gas isn't as expesive for the US anymore, the damn crooks of the government just want a boatload of $$$$. The war is practicly over now. Bush is just makin sum biig scene. The us doesn't have any trouble getting oil from anywhere, it isn't even as expensive as they r telling us!

 

[FredGarvin]

Until we reach the prices Europe pays for a gallon, I am not going to complain. Even when I was stationed in Germany, gas was extremely expensive if I bought from a local gas station and not a PX.

I did hear a news blurb last night that blamed current prices partially on production issues at a refinery in Chicago and one other city (I was kind of falling asleep at the time).

 

[Astronuc]

I've heard that switching over to the summer blends was delayed because of the cooler weather. The local price, which surged ~$0.10, I think last Friday, has dropped back a few cents. I guess psychologically, people relax a bit if they see a small drop after a big surge.

I just need to pay off my wife's car so I can by a more fuel efficent one, but I am seriously thinking about cycling 6.5 miles to work. It's a bit hazardous with all the hills and curves and limited shoulder/bike path, but it would be good exercise and much more fuel efficient.

 

[FredGarvin]

I have often debated about biking or even running to work. I only live about 5 miles away. The only problem is that roads in my area were never meant to share with bikers and runners. I would be taking my life into my own hands. Plus the notion of riding my bike amongst a couple hundred cars makes me a bit uneasy.

 

[Astronuc]

I have often debated about biking or even running to work. I only live about 5 miles away. The only problem is that roads in my area were never meant to share with bikers and runners. I would be taking my life into my own hands. Plus the notion of riding my bike amongst a couple hundred cars makes me a bit uneasy.

Yeah, that is pretty much the case here. There are some roads with bike lanes and there are some bike paths, but the problem is to get there - about 1-1.5 miles - without getting hit. The traffic volume is bad enough, but I have seen a few inattentive drivers recently, including the one two days ago who was speeding and ran a red light in front of us, while skidding through the cross-walk and swerving between a car and truck which had already entered the intersection.

Several months ago, I came across a cyclist who had been hit by a car. The driver was exiting a parking lot and not paying attention.

 

[out of whack]

I have seen a few inattentive drivers recently, including the one two days ago who was speeding and ran a red light in front of us, while skidding through the cross-walk and swerving between a car and truck which had already entered the intersection.

Several months ago, I came across a cyclist who had been hit by a car. The driver was exiting a parking lot and not paying attention.

No kidding. I've been thinking for some time now that allowing just everybody to be in control of a deadly hunk of metal is a big mistake. I dream of automated "rail cars" that drive themselves instead so you can nap on your way to work and not swerve into pedestrians. Cars have replaced horses but it may be time to start replacing cars with something more efficient now.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I rode my bike to school in L.A. for a time, but after the third close call I gave it up. Good for my health? I don't think so.

 

[edward]

If the summer/winter blending change is going to cause a price hike twice a year permanently. It looks like big oil has another built in windfall profits scheme.

The other is: "The markets are nervous because a little known Ayatollah farted in Iran last week", or something similar.

It is the only industry where profits soar when production is cut.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Refining capacity is still down due to Katrina and a fire.

It didn't take a hurricane or a new Middle East conflict to push local gasoline prices above $3.15 a gallon this week. All it took was a refinery outage near Chicago at a time when supply and demand were already in precarious balance.

BP's refinery in Whiting, Ind., went down a month ago, and the company says it might not return to full production for several months. There's no good time to lose production of 420,000 barrels a day, but gasoline markets are especially sensitive in the spring. [continued]

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/business/columnists.nsf/davidnicklaus/story/D579EDB6F3326B37862572D2000581A5?OpenDocument

Whether you think this is a practical issue or a conspiracy to keep the price of gas high, here's the bottom line: Support your local biodiesel supplier and take the power and the money away from big oil. Tell your friends about biodiesel and the new generation of clean diesel cars that are coming - they get better mileage than hybrids. And forget about ethanol - IMO it's a suckers game for big oil. At best, ethanol from corn appears to yield a net 10% return on energy invested, and at worst a net zero gain.

 

[scorpa]

They are saying gas will be a $1.50/liter before the end of summer , it is $1.05/litre now I think but I'm not sure, really expensive either way.

Several months ago, I came across a cyclist who had been hit by a car. The driver was exiting a parking lot and not paying attention.

I HATE it when people are cycling on busy roadways, seems like a deathwish to me. Drivers not paying attention, and idiot cyclists who seem to think that all of the 'favourable' rules of both vehicles and pedestrians apply to them are a bad combination.

 

[mattmns]

Once we hit 3 bucks we started rolling, we are now at 3.25 with most of that coming in the last week or two.

 

[Pyrrhus]

No kidding. I've been thinking for some time now that allowing just everybody to be in control of a deadly hunk of metal is a big mistake. I dream of automated "rail cars" that drive themselves instead so you can nap on your way to work and not swerve into pedestrians. Cars have replaced horses but it may be time to start replacing cars with something more efficient now.

You know, i once heard on TV that civil engineers and other specialists were/are (?) doing research on this with magnets trails on Highways. Maybe you can look it up?.

 

[hypatia]

Well, yipeeeee, gas topped $3.50 a gallon {regular grade} in Metro Detroit today. Which makes it the highest priced gas in the country.

 

[moose]

I just need to pay off my wife's car so I can by a more fuel efficent one, but I am seriously thinking about cycling 6.5 miles to work. It's a bit hazardous with all the hills and curves and limited shoulder/bike path, but it would be good exercise and much more fuel efficient.

How cheap is your water, your food?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Well, yipeeeee, gas topped $3.50 a gallon {regular grade} in Metro Detroit today. Which makes it the highest priced gas in the country.

Wow, that's too bad. If you were driving one of those slick new diesel cars, you could buy diesel over at Marathon gas on 7 mile & Telegraph for $2.79, and get better mileage.
http://www.detroitgasprices.com/index.aspx?fuel=D

Today's prices
http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/4489/detroitdieselpricessmtm9.jpg

 

[hypatia]

On TV last night, a hotel in northen MI, offered 50 dollar gas vouchers if you booked your vacation , 5 days, with them. Several people I know will not take their boat out of dry dock, just to costly to run them.
Michigan has been in a recession for at least 2 years now, for people of lower income, this is going to be very difficult.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

The longer we wait, the more it will hurt for everyone. And we don't seem to be willing to change until we hit the $3 mark.

If we don't do something soon, we may see gas at $8 from time to time. I've seen estimates that are even worse.