Green Energy News | May 31, 1998

May 31, 1998 – Vol.3 No.9

ENERGIES... week of May 31, 1998

SHUTTLE SEEKS OIL. Over 65% of the world’s oil supply remains trapped in reservoirs - an astounding figure. Recovery of just 2-3% of that would add billions of dollars in revenues to the world’s oil companies. The MIRROR (Microgravity Industry Related Research for Oil Recovery) experiments aboard the aboard the space shuttle Discovery (now in orbit as this is written) could lead the way to recovering at least some of that trapped oil.

The MIRROR experiments will measure the diffusion rate of various components of crude oil, analyze surfactant foams used by oil companies to increase oil production and study how hydrocarbons move through porous rock and other media. The experiments are conducted in space because gravity affects these processes on earth.

STUDY TELLS IT LIKE IT IS. The much publicized study, Fuel Economy, Price and Range by AutoPacific, paints a picture of Americans’ willingness (or unwillingness) to drive more fuel efficient cars.

Of almost 26,000 U.S. vehicle buyers surveyed, 70% won’t switch to more efficient vehicles unless the cost of fuel rises to almost $2.10 per gallon... The other 30% would be unwilling to switch at any price... Contrary to popular belief, younger generations - like Generation Xers - are less likely to drive more fuel efficient cars than older generations... 40% of large car buyers won’t drive anything else regardless... 32% of luxury car buyers won’t change their driving habits (such as drive less with higher fuel costs)... 55% of Jaguar buyers will drive Jags even with high fuel costs... Another 46% of Jag owners won’t change the way they drive at any cost... Sports car owners won’t switch cars, 44%, or drive less, 36%... BMW owners might switch or change habits at $2.42 per gallon... Sport utility vehicle (SUV) buyers were no worse than any of the above.

BUT ELECTRIC VEHICLES MARCH ON REGARDLESS. The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded a $2.2 million grant to the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee for 11 hybrid-electric buses to be used in the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) transit system... Consumers in the State of New York can now lease a Honda EV PLUS for $455 per month for 3 years - no money down. Until now the EV PLUS was available only in California and to fleets in New York... Toyota and General Motors will work together to develop the next generation of inductive charging systems for EVs... Honda, Ford ,Chrysler, Mazda and others have formed the Electric Vehicle Conductive Charging Coalition (EVC3) to further develop an infrastructure for conductive charging systems... Southern California Edison’s fleet of over 150 EVs have reached the million mile mark. SCE will buy another 300 EVs by 1999.