Alternative fuels

[LowTech]

I don't think you can lump all "Alt Fuels" that way. Oil burners, gasification, solar, ( just as examples ) are all very mobile. Sometimes even more so, it's pretty easy to clean out an area, so then you have to keep moving.
Running oil burners (vegi is included in that term) definitely has not restricted my mobility.

 

[LowTech]

Another thing about some of the Alt fuels, a lot are dual system. LP as well. If there's no "alt" around you step back to your emergency fuel, and stop at the same fuel stations everyone else uses.

 

[KristinaKarina]

Right, Low Tech,
 I'm beginning to think that the first step to taking the leap into alt fuels is 1.) a change of mind - a change in the way people think about "energy".
 What I mean by this is that in many posts and even other forums concerning alt fuel, some people are still trying to think the whole thing thru in terms of "the way we've always done it", ie., combustion engines, and petrochem fuels. Please don't anyone take offense - I dont have the whole system hacked ( I realize that there is a lot of "luxury" in the amount of "work" a combustion engine can produce, compared to trickle charging from a Solar panel or battery reliance).What I am saying is that the first step to being independent from the "grid" or the "system" is changing one's thinking about how to "skin the mule", so to speak. For example, I see posts and schematics about how to convert from AC to DC, but still dependent upon a petro combustion engine to produce the "energy" to charge the battery. No, I don't think Battery locomoted RV's are a practical option in the future, but for a small "golf car" obviously they are ideal, for example.
  The logical next step, to my mind, would be by pass the combustion engine and its dependence upon petrochem fuel ( or even veggie fuel as in a diesel, due to the discussed limitations), and 
Goto> solar panels to charge your batteries to power your appliances. There is a couple I follow who have been experimenting with this, even salvaging old 12v batteries from garbage and recharging them multiple times. They and one of their experiments are here at:
and Mikey shows how to clean, open, refill, desulfate and test a totally dead sealed lead acid battery:

Da Pimp battery charger, recovery, desulfanator http://store.holyscraphotsprings.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2
http://www.thegoodlifelab.com/p/wendy-mikey.html
>I guess I need to add a scheme for wiring your batteries to solar panels, and appliance recharger here, but...

  I have been making some leaps in thinking while trying to figure out how to convert from "grid" elec, and petro fuels, and these types for experiments have helped. Maybe part of the "hack" is to mentally dispense with the "luxury" of having hundreds of "horses" of power available with the turn of a switch and the pump of the "accelerator", and gear your lifestyle down to where you need less energy to enjoy the "lifestyle" of being independent from "grids", fuel supply lines, and centralized governance in general.
Just a thought. Cheers,
~KK

 

[highdesertranger]

the thing is you are converting energy, from one form into a more useful form. you are converting sunlight into electricity, you are converting wind into electricity, you are converting oil into anything thing you want. by far the most efficient conversion man has come up with is a diesel motor, well except for a bicycle and hydroelectric. a battery does not create energy, it stores energy. highdesertranger

 

[GotSmart]

the thing is you are converting energy,  from one form into a more useful form.  you are converting sunlight into electricity,  you are converting wind into electricity,  you are converting oil into anything thing you want.  by far the most efficient conversion man has come up with is a diesel motor,  well except for a bicycle and hydroelectric.  a battery does not create energy,  it stores energy.  highdesertranger

My favorite fuel for converting into energy has got to be Pizza and beer.  

 

[romeosierrabravo2]

LPG (propane) has 80% as much power per gallon as gas, the tanks are heavy, and frequently isn't much cheaper than gas even before considering road tax.  

Quartzsite has an EV charge station at the Carl's junior.

https://www.cleanenergyfuels.com/re...rtner-to-expand-americas-natural-gas-highway/

and of some interest if converting. 
http://www.americanpowergroupinc.com/class-8-truck-conversions.html

Almost all of UPS and FEDEX linehaul are on cng. Runs cooler, equal mpg, cleaner internal parts equals longer engine life, and of course those epa tax credits.

 

[rvpopeye]

I think Musk has given us the perfect future option.
All electric with free charging stations everywhere.

Plus giving his patents away for all auto companies to use.........
Who else cares that much about the environment?

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I think Musk has given us the perfect future option.
All electric with free charging stations everywhere.

Free charging stations.  Right.

I'm old enough to remember that in the 50s, the atomic energy people were claiming that power was going to be so cheap that they wouldn't bother metering it, and all roads in cold areas would have electric heating elements built in to melt ice and snow off of them.

 

[rvpopeye]

What makes you say that?
They are already out there all over the country , solar powered.
He's building them in other countries too.