pjt@cpac.washington.edu (Larry Setlow) (12/30/90)
In article <1990Dec29.063939.20478@zoo.toronto.edu> henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) writes:
At the moment, all are fearfully inefficient and tremendously costly if
used in bulk, barring extremely favorable circumstances. The state of
battery technology in particular is a disgrace.
How promising are those new (and how new, for that matter) plastic
batteries that were reported in the PC mags a few months back? The
(second- and third-hand) reports I heard made them sound like sliced
bread for portable computers and cars, even. I haven't heard any
figures for storage capacity or whether they like deep-cycle
operation, though.cvisser@ucrmath.ucr.edu (clyde r. visser) (12/30/90)
> In article <1990Dec29.063939.20478@zoo.toronto.edu> henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) writes: > At the moment, all are fearfully inefficient and tremendously costly if > used in bulk, barring extremely favorable circumstances. The state of > battery technology in particular is a disgrace. > > How promising are those new (and how new, for that matter) plastic > batteries that were reported in the PC mags a few months back? The > (second- and third-hand) reports I heard made them sound like sliced > bread for portable computers and cars, even. I haven't heard any > figures for storage capacity or whether they like deep-cycle > operation, though. There was an article some time back from the newspaper headlined "Japanese may put adequate power in electric cars". The nature of the battery was electrostatic (not electrochemical). They referred to it as a condenser (nowadays, we come them capacitors). It (reportedly) has 20 times the output density and one third the internal resistance. It's developed by Isuzu motors Ltd. and Fuji Electrochemical Co.. They plan to commercialize the battery within two years. It was unveiled on April 16, 1990. Does anyone know how they're doing with it? ======================================================================== A Joule conserved is a Joule generated. me ========================================================================
johne@hp-vcd.HP.COM (John Eaton) (01/04/91)
<<< < There's a place for solar power -- but most of the reason for < subsidies to it is because it is NOT cost-effective for most < situations. ---------- The reason that it is not cost effective is because we are not paying the true cost for our non solar electricity. Every year we are left with less coal and gas, more nuclear waste and fewer fish. Factor in the true cost of that and solar becomes more competitive. John Eaton !hpvcfs1!johne