| Opinions |  |
- Me and My Hybrid
- National Academy of Sciences Report: 40 mpg is Cost Effective
- FAQ on Fuel Economy
- Arctic Drilling Is No Energy Answer
- FACT SHEETS: The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
- Molly Ivins on Enron
- Enron paid no income taxes in 4 of the past 5 years
- White House disclosure on Enron
- Enron Got Its Money's Worth by Robert Scheer
- Bush fuel-cell goal faces roadblocks
- A Car for the Distant Future...
Bush Scam on Fuel Cells
by Joseph OsterOpen Letter to Michael Cabanatuan,
Chronicle Staff Writer
Subject: reply to article: "Bush gambles on fuel cells for cars",
San Francisco Chronicle (January 10, 2002)Dear Mr. Cabanatuan,
I appreciate reading the voices of reason in your article today. This phrase in your opening sentence, however, perpetuates a myth that energy isn't required to make hydrogen:
"will delay the nation's freedom from foreign oil for years"
True about this change in policy, but fuel cells alone won't get us there either. Energy must come from somewhere to extract hydrogen and process it as fuel; or the fuel cells may run on gasoline!
While fuel cells can be two to three times more efficient than combustion engines, they are not new. You said it perfectly in this line of your 3rd paragraph; I agree completely:
"The administration's strategy shift, many said yesterday, is a shortsighted blunder that gives up on the best thing going and will allow Detroit to keep churning out gas guzzlers."
This Bush policy on fuel cells is another big oil scam in a long history of delays on more fuel efficient cars. Hybrid gas/electrics (available now!), if used in larger numbers and more variety, can soon save more oil than what's available in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge ("no more than a six month supply of oil at our current consumption rates"!).
Thanks for a good article.
Sincerely,
Joseph Oster
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www.JosephOster.com
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