Articles by Adam Browning

And possibly sell them

My, my. Google searches, finds cause:

According to people briefed on the program, the organization, called Google.org, plans to develop an ultra-fuel-efficient plug-in hybrid car engine that runs on ethanol, electricity and gasoline.

They have about $1 billion in seed money.

This is an extraordinary development.

Cali researchers say fuel economy boosts are better route

To reduce oil consumption, some say we should raise fuel-economy standards. Others say, no, let's impose a gas tax -- jacking up prices is the best way to reduce consumption.

The folks at the University of California Energy Institute have a new paper (PDF) that investigates the sensitivity of gasoline demand to changes in price, and concludes:

One implication of these findings is that gasoline taxes would need to be significantly larger today in order to achieve an equivalent reduction in gasoline consumption. This, coupled with the political difficulties in adopting gasoline taxes, suggests that policies and technologies designed to improve fuel economy are likely becoming relatively more attractive as a means to reduce fuel consumption.

Which is not to say it can't be done -- just that short-term demand response is relatively inelastic, and if you want to use so-called market forces, you have to serve a significant jolt to the system and wait a while for consumers to dig themselves out of their current purchase decisions in order to see results.

UCEI has a fine series of working papers on energy issues. You might consider signing up for their listserv.

CEO of nation’s largest auto dealer gets behind the latter

"Who Killed the Electric Car?" conspiracies aside, why do I think plug-in hybrids will make it where strict plug-ins didn't?

Because, at a gut level, I think more people would buy them. Americans are congenital dreamers. No matter that most trips are under 25 miles. If the car purchase in question does not let you indulge in the fantasy that one day you might just take that road-trip to Jazzfest, wheels hissing on the wet moon-lit roads through the bayou, air heavy with frangipangi and Spanish moss; or a surfari to Baja, camping in the dunes and eating nothing but the fish you spear -- well, what's the point?

An electric car with a 200-mile range may get your groceries, but at the cost of cherished self-image. Practicality and reality have never been much of a driving force in purchasing decisions.

Just my opinion, which doesn't matter much in the scheme of things. But here's an opinion that matters a bit more: check out this op-ed from from the CEO of AutoNation, the nation's largest car dealer:

Advocate for eating horse needs to go

In a sane universe, if someone singlehandedly tried selling off America's national parks -- our collective inheritance -- they would be arrested.

In this world, we have to settle for voting them out of office.

So, if you were planning on getting involved in helping defeat Richard Pombo, chair of the House Resources Committee, big jerk, anti-ESA zealot, and single largest advocate of eating more horse and whale meat*, now would be a good time.

Not only is time growing short, but if you act now you can listen to a song and get a free CD, too.

* Short list.