Category Archives: Transportation

97% of vehicles and trains run on oil which peaked in world-wide production in 2005 — the tractors to plant and harvest, the trucks to deliver food all depend on combustion engines that burn oil

Effects of biodiesel on diesel engines: John Deere

Posted on September 29, 2016 by

[ Since petroleum is finite, the most important focus of U.S. energy research ought to be keeping trucks operating, since civilization ends when trucks stop running.  Ideally this would be done with a “drop-in” fuel that can be burned in … Continue reading →

Posted in Biodiesel, Trucks | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Effects of biodiesel on diesel engines: John Deere

Natural gas is a stupid transportation fuel

Posted on September 23, 2016 by

[ My comment: The only reason natural gas has come up as a transportation fuel at all is the false belief that there is 100 years of natural gas (even this article does, but natural gas may last far less … Continue reading →

Posted in Automobiles, Natural Gas Vehicles, Transportation | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Natural gas is a stupid transportation fuel

Hybrid electric trucks are very different from HEV cars

Posted on June 7, 2016 by

Preface. The National Research Council paper I review in this post explains why it is hard to transfer auto hybrid technology to trucks.  They are entirely different animals — medium-duty trucks weigh up to 10 times more, have up to … Continue reading →

Posted in Batteries, Electric & Hydrogen trucks impossible, Trucks: Electric | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Hybrid electric trucks are very different from HEV cars

The Dark side of Cruise ships. Garbage. Sewage. And more.

Posted on June 4, 2016 by

[ I detest cruise ships which destroy the ambiance of small towns in Alaska and everywhere else they go.  While cruise ships disgorged their sewage and garbage in Alaska’s Skagway harbor, passengers disgorged into shops owned by the cruise ships … Continue reading →

Posted in Ships and Barges | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on The Dark side of Cruise ships. Garbage. Sewage. And more.

Electric truck & car range less in cold weather

Posted on June 4, 2016 by

Preface. What follows are two articles. The first has excerpts from Calstart’s study of the effects cold weather had on lithium and Sodium Nickel Chloride e-truck batteries. The second article is from Consumer Reports, which says that half of driving … Continue reading →

Posted in Automobiles, Batteries, Cold weather, Electric & Hydrogen trucks impossible, Electrification, Trucks: Electric | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Sex, crime, and death on the high seas. A U.S. Senate investigation of the cruise ship industry

Posted on June 1, 2016 by

Senate 113–642. July 24, 2013. Cruise Industry Oversight: recent incidents show need for stronger focus on consumer protection. U.S. Senate hearing. 169 pages. Since 2011, cruise lines voluntarily reported 959 alleged crimes to the FBI, and 130 crimes that must … Continue reading →

Posted in Congressional Record U.S., Ships and Barges | Tagged , | Comments Off on Sex, crime, and death on the high seas. A U.S. Senate investigation of the cruise ship industry

Book review of Door to Door and the amazing world of transportation

Posted on May 19, 2016 by

Edward Humes.  2016. Door to Door: The Magnificent, Maddening, Mysterious World of Transportation. HarperCollins. A book review by Alice Friedemann at www.energyskeptic.com  author of “When Trucks Stop Running: Energy and the Future of Transportation, 2015, Springer] I was in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Energy Books, Transportation, Travel | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Climate change impacts on transportation 2008 U.S. Senate hearing

Posted on May 16, 2016 by

Senate  110-1199. June 24, 2008. Climate change impacts on the transportation sector. U.S. Senate Hearing. Excerpts from this 135 page document follow. DANIEL K. INOUYE, U.S. SENATOR FROM HAWAII The transportation sector is a major indicator of the overall economic … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change, Transportation, Transportation Infrastructure, U.S. Congress Transportation | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Climate change impacts on transportation 2008 U.S. Senate hearing

Most energy efficient: passenger bus, rail, or auto?

Posted on April 28, 2016 by

Preface. Weight reduces energy efficiency, so one way to make transportation more efficient is to light-weight rail cars, buses, trucks, and cars. For every 10% reduction in weight, up to 7.6% more fuel efficiency can be gained (Joost 2012). While … Continue reading →

Posted in Automobiles, Mass Transit, Railroads | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Most energy efficient: passenger bus, rail, or auto?

Alternative fuels to replace transportation oil. U.S. House hearing 2012

Posted on February 22, 2016 by

House 112–159. July 10, 2012. The American energy initiative part 23: A focus on Alternative Fuels and vehicles. House of Representatives. [ Excerpts from this 210 page transcript follow ] MIKE BREEN, Vice President of the Truman National Security Project.   … Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Energy, Natural Gas Vehicles, Transportation, U.S. Congress Transportation | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Alternative fuels to replace transportation oil. U.S. House hearing 2012