To: yard_man who wrote (102146 ) 5/14/2001 6:45:26 PM From: Mark Adams Read Replies (2) | Respond to transmission losses are less than 2% of the energy produced -- distribution losses are a little greater can you imagine what it would cost to shift industry to making all ICEs with this new technology (of course a retro-fit is out of the question), there also might be reliability problems that the writer has glossed over I think the causal link between recent greenhouse gas production and global warming, and even the extent to which temperatures have really risen vs. historical temperatures, is still debatable certainly whether we should embark on a course of action (adopt Kyoto) that will increase our energy production costs by a large percentage in coming years is debatable. Many of these policies simply amount to a tax of some form or another anyway -- CO2 is a natural result of burning coal -- The electric utlities do wield control through the regulatory structure which was put in place to prevent monopolistic misadventure. That's true and what you would expect? -- there are huge sums of money involved. Hopefully, the PUCs retain enough independence to prevent all-out abuse of monopoly power. It depends on the type of people that sit on the boards and the quality of information that they have available to them. But whether such research should be funded by the government or private industry is a difficult decision. SOme say they need critical mass for the technologies and the funding has to come from somewhere. Others say -- if the market won't support development of the technology -- wait till prices get high enough and it'll get done if it is economic. I think there is a happy medium -- government sponsored research has a role to play. Edison, EPRI are industry funded initiatives -- you have to expect them to serve industry goals -- don't look there for innovation on the conservation front. Our tax dollars support a number of government institutions which are largely devoted to energy research -- don't like the priorities? -- make oyur case to your congressman. You might have a little bit of influence ...
