Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Japan Striving For Energy Efficiency

Posted by Zonk on from the more-power,-cap'n dept.

diamond writes "The NYT has an article on how Japan is squeezing to get the most out of the costly fuel. 'The government recently introduced a national campaign, urging the Japanese to replace their older appliances and buy hybrid vehicles, all part of a patriotic effort to save energy and fight global warming.'"

6 of 540 comments (clear)

  1. New trend? by teh+moges · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Hopefully this starts a global trend

    1. Re:New trend? by evilpenguin · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Those time projections are based on *US Supply*. But I agree, the nuclear option is just another holding measure.

      The somewhat hyperbolic site I link to in my parent post gets one major thing wrong, IMHO. He points out that the energy return on energy invested in making hydrogen from water by is 1/1.7, which he says makes it impossible. If solar photovoltaics are used to provide that electricity, however, it becomes totally feasible. Hydrogen can be the storage medium and transportable form for renewable electricity.

      That said, all the energy density problems and economies of scale issues are still there. We will all have to do with less. Right now oil's EROEI is about 30/1, which is just phenomenally good. That free ride is coming to an end.

      Still, I tend to be an optimist. I do believe we will shift resources. I do believe we can get public-spirited conservation. I do believe we can actually substantially reduce oil demand (we will have to) and the market will make us do it. I'm not sure there will have to be "oil panic" scenario the doomsayers paint. The price will make us do things differently. They (the peak oil doom crowd like the site I referenced) assume that the peak itself will be a catastrophic moment. I'm not sure I believe that. I think we've just seen the start of a steady, perhaps accelerating rise in prices. But I promise you, that will reach a point where it reduces demand and where it will drive investment in new technologies.

      As for the other uses of oil in making plastics, drugs, paints, etc. Well, the switch to alternatives will "free up" some of that supply. Also, it is possible to synthetically produce many of those products from more basic organic compounds, it is just too expensive to o so right now.

      No, my big worry is fertilizer and the food supply. I don't see how we can avoid a decrease in food production. Still, from Paul Erlich onwards, those who have given us predictions of doom by such-and-such a time have been consistently wrong. And I think that is only because their predictions are based on an "all things being equal" basis. The trouble is things change. New technologies, new efficiencies, clever ideas. That won't stop happening.

      The one thing we can be sure of, however, is that the world 50 years from now will not look much like the world of today. And I'd say that might be a very good thing. Sure, it might be an epoch-shattering disaster. But I'd prefer to work on making it a good thing.

      It is going to be a challenging time. I sure agree with you on that!

  2. Government in bed with manufacturers again? by Gurezaemon · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I can't open the article (link down?), but I would not be surprised if this is yet another shady deal between the Japanese government and major manufacturers to keep people buying new products.

    The compulsory registration fees already make it expensive enough to run a car here, and suspect this is more of the same - "keep people purchasing, and keep the economy afloat." After all, it has worked for the last 50 years here.

  3. Re:In addition... by hey! · · Score: 4, Interesting

    There's a theory I've read that Gojira (Godzilla) symbolizes Japan's perception of America, on one hand rising out of the ocean and dealing out crude destruction to Japanese cities, on the other hand having a kind of elemntal fascination for them. In some movies Gojira is painted in a tragic, or even heroic light.

    So, what we're talking about is more like an oportunity to sell Godzilla a more energy efficient water heater.

    --
    Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
  4. Australia and Kyoto by nounderscores · · Score: 4, Interesting

    FWIW, australia's state level governments (such as the Victorian Bracks government) are all imposing tough emissions controls in line with the kyoto protocol.

    The reason why australia didn't ratify kyoto is because kyoto also counts all forest fires as emissions of CO2, because, well, they are emissions of CO2.

    Australia has forest fires larger than engliand in the western australian forests every year. If australia ratified kyoto and got on the emissions trading scheme, australia would be economically crippled by having to buy emissions credits all the time. So Howard looked after the bottom line and refused to sign.

    Now, if only we could find a way to prevent forest fires. I have a friend who is trying to get a job as a postgraduate research assistant at the Victorian Fire Prevention Center with her very good botany degree... maybe she can help.

  5. Re:Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt by dattaway · · Score: 4, Interesting

    And when the batteries are spent, they are traded in for new ones. The old ones are sent to the smelter, melted down and made into new batteries. Its cheaper to recycle than to prepare a bunch of ore.

    I thought the Prius batteries were warrantied for 10 years, not 8.