Sweden to end oil dependancy by 2020

[cavalierlwt]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060207/ap_on_bi_ge/sweden_renewable_fuels

That's how you do it, you stand up and set a date! No wishy washy speech about the future, they flat out made a comittment. The first step is just saying it in no uncertain terms. When people tell you it can't be done, then you know you're on the right track!

[TChicken]

Thats an interesting article, I hope they succeed and become an example for us.

[SavageParrot]

How are they gonna move all that ikea furniture around though...

[RickMon]

They have a good plan and already have a low need for oil. Did you notice in Bush's speech he said "foreign" oil needs, not just get rid of our need for oil. He still wants to drill in the artic. If we occupy Mexico, Canada, and Venesula we will not have a dependancy for "foreign" oil at all. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

[Gen. Ouch]

i don't see you guys ever occupying Canad but we'd be willing to sell our oil to you, for a price.... we've got tonnes of it eh, thier saying that Sudi Arabia has been lying about how much oil they have left, so we could actually have the biggest oil reserves left on earth. i think we should thriple our oil prices for foreign exports, so all the rest of you out there will eigther have to give it up, or pay the sky rocketing prices. we'd be doing a service to the world, not just our pockets...

[Wairudo Enjin]

Originally posted by cavalierlwt
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060207/ap_on_bi_ge/sweden_renewable_fuels

That's how you do it, you stand up and set a date! No wishy washy speech about the future, they flat out made a comittment. The first step is just saying it in no uncertain terms. When people tell you it can't be done, then you know you're on the right track!

Brazil has already weined themselves off of oil. They started their plan when the Arab Oil Embargo happened in the 1970s. Now they produce 'Alcohol' from sugar which is used to power their cars. Currently it costs half as much and produces half the polluting emissions.

Additionally, American car makers, along with others, already make engines to run on this stuff.

I learned this from a show that was on either the History Channel or the Learning Channel.

[CodeRed68]

There are approx. 20 hybrid cars coming out in the next 1-2 years or are already out.
Honda has the Accord, Civic and Insight. Toyota Prius and Camry. Even Lexus is releasing one this year. I saw it over the weekend at the Philly Auto Show. All the major auto makers have thier hybrids being released. Even trucks like the Chevy Tahoe, Dodge Durango, Porsche Cayenne, Toyota Highlander, Ford Escaoe... and the list goes on.
Very promising.

[RickMon]

I think most of the hybrids still depend on gas to run the engine, which charges the batteries that it can supplement on later. It's a good start but will not wein us from gas. The Hydrogen or natural gas only engines seem to be the best solution at this time. One of the biggest obstacles of any new form of combustion will be getting the feul stations everywhere so you can fill up.

[Gen. Ouch]

i think the hybrid technology has great promise, the problem with it is that it's only good for in city driving, anything over about 35 miles an hour and the gas consumption isn't better than normal cars, the car you have now actually has better gas milage at 50-70 than a hybrid, so really they're not that great right now in my opinion.

[Chacal]

It is a good step. The answer to diminishing oil reserves and rising fuel costs is to burn less fuel, not find new oil sources.

[Rotoman]

Something we also forget is our level of dependency on other products made from petroleum, namely plastics. We have this weird thing about buying bottled water that's no better than what we get from the tap. I saw some article the other day that had some ridiculously high dollar amount attached to what we (US consumers) spend on bottled water each year. ($115 billion?) What was amazing was that the UN only spends about 10% of that amount on improving water quality in 3rd world countries.

Plus with all that plastic there's the added disposal cost after use.

Found the article:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/oneworld/20060204/wl_oneworld/45361268291139089785;_ylt=AsdV.2L6SPAxJUIfbGTMD6es0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3ODdxdHBhBHNlYwM5NjQ-

(edited to add link)

[cavalierlwt]

The brilliant part is announcing it. That takes guts. Once you say it, there's no going back. We could do the same thing, set a goal and go for it, like Kennedy did back when he called for the US to put a man on the moon before the decade was over. We've become a country of cowards and naysayers where energy technology is concerned. Everytime someone talks about an emerging technology, a chorus of 'Droopy Dogs' kick in..'That's not perfect/cheap, we'll never make it, we're doomed'
We're too afraid of public failure.
My hat's off to Sweden, they have big balls and they're not afraid to let anyone know about it!!!

[CodeRed68]

Here are some pics I took at the auto show. First one is the Honda Insight and a pic of the sticker on the windshield. We were amazed at the gas mileage. The last is of the Lexus Hybrid coming out...

[RickMon]

Sweden is fortunate that they are not a large industrial nation. Not only is their oil consumation low but their government is not controlled by big business like ours. All of us know that most politicians have some connection to big business and that there will not be a law passed to hurt it. Just think where we could be now if government had gradually increased the minimum mpg by 5% a year since the 70's crisis.