Air Can Save You Money October 6, 2008
Posted by Gary Glynn in Fossil fuels.Tags: Add new tag, gas mileage, tire pressure
add a comment
<!– /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:”"; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;} h1 {mso-style-next:Normal; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-indent:.5in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; page-break-after:avoid; mso-outline-level:1; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-font-kerning:0pt;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –>
The simplest way to boost your gas mileage and save money is to make sure your tires are properly inflated. The resistance of tires rolling along the road can account for as much as 30 percent of your fuel consumption. A fully inflated tire will roll better, and will require less power to start rolling.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that one of every three cars is running on a seriously under-inflated tire. According to Goodyear, running a tire with only 80% of the recommended air pressure will cost motorists two to three miles per gallon. An economist working for the US Department of Energy determined that American drivers waste 1.2 billion gallons of gasoline each year, simply by driving on low tires. That’s more than 3 million gallons of gasoline wasted every day. At current prices, that means Americans are wasting $6 billion annually by driving on under-inflated tires.
There are other advantages of checking your tire pressure as well. A vehicle with properly inflated tires will handle better and will be safer. Filling your tires with (usually) free air will save you money and prolong the life of those expensive tires. It will also reduce your likelihood of having a flat tire and reduce the amount of oil needed to manufacture new tires. Conservative estimates suggest that having properly inflated tires can add thousands of miles to the life of a tire. Depending on a number of factors such as weather, temperature, and road conditions, tire life can vary from 4 to 6 years, but proper tire inflation can add several months to that.
All new cars sold in the US are now required to have a Tire Pressure Monitoring System to warn motorists when a tire is seriously low on air. Once found only on high-end luxury cars, there are several different types of monitoring systems, and they differ in terms of accuracy and reliability. Designed to warn when tires become unsafe, some models may not be accurate enough to detect the slight changes in air pressure that can affect mileage. Even if your car is equipped with TPMS, it’s a good idea to periodically check your tire pressure with a manual gauge.
The recommended air pressure is specified by your car’s manufacturer, not the tire maker, and is usually found on a sticker on the driver’s doorjamb, as well as in the owner’s manual. (Note: there may be a difference between this number and the maximum tire pressure listed on the sidewall of the tires.) Some manufacturers recommend different pressures for front and rear tires. Invest in an inexpensive tire pressure gauge, and check your tires at least once a month. Tires should be checked at a cold temperature, preferably before the tire has run more than a mile. Air pressure drops with temperature, so check your tires more often in the winter months. The kind of tires can also make a difference. Radial tires get only slightly better mileage than bias-ply tires, but enough better to add up to significant savings over the life of the tires.
Squeeze Every Mile From That Pricey Gallon of Gas October 6, 2008
Posted by Gary Glynn in Fossil fuels, vehicle mileage.Tags: driving habits, gas mileage, vehcile maintenance
1 comment so far
<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:CGTimes-Regular; panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:auto; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:”"; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;} h1 {mso-style-next:Normal; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-indent:.5in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; page-break-after:avoid; mso-outline-level:1; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-font-kerning:0pt; font-weight:bold;} p.MsoBodyTextIndent, li.MsoBodyTextIndent, div.MsoBodyTextIndent {margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-indent:.5in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} p {margin-right:0in; mso-margin-top-alt:auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;} pre {margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; tab-stops:45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:”Courier New”; mso-fareast-font-family:”Courier New”;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} /* List Definitions */ @list l0 {mso-list-id:307976951; mso-list-type:hybrid; mso-list-template-ids:448135686 -14130856 27161414 -983924218 -2009968386 1986668660 939720576 1652871488 819085272 -1011819676;} @list l0:level1 {mso-level-number-format:bullet; mso-level-text:; mso-level-tab-stop:.5in; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-.25in; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Symbol;} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} –>
The price of gasoline seems to be on everyone’s mind these days, and it’s easy for the average motorist to feel helpless in the face of the spiraling price of oil on the global market. In fact, there are a number of actions the average driver can take to cut their fuel bill. Obviously, walking, biking, and alternative transportation are all good options, but when you absolutely have to drive your gas-guzzler across town, how do you make sure that you get the best mileage possible?
In large part, the type of mileage you can expect from your vehicle depends on the way you maintain your vehicle, and the way you drive. It is entirely possible to increase your mileage by up to 30% just by making sure you are driving a tuned up, stripped down vehicle, and by practicing efficient driving habits.
Before you even pull out of your driveway, there are several important steps that can be taken. Make sure your vehicle is well maintained. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, a tune-up can boost mileage by 10% or more. If your car is more than a few years old, you should consider having your tailpipe emissions analyzed on an annual basis. Dirty emissions indicate a car is not running as efficiently as it should be. Among the common culprits are dirty spark plugs, clogged air filters, and faulty oxygen sensors. Sparks plugs should be replaced at least every 30,000 miles, while air filters (which can reduce mileage by as much as 10%) should be changed every 15,000 miles, more often if you regularly drive on dirt roads. A faulty oxygen sensor can decrease mileage by as much as 40%. While oxygen sensors on vehicles manufactured in the last ten years should last up to 100,000 miles, those mounted on cars ten years or older should be replaced every 30,000 to 50,000 miles.
Another factor that will affect your mileage is the amount of gasoline that evaporates from your tank, so check your gas cap on a regular basis. The Car Care Council estimates that 147 million gallons ($600 million) of gasoline are wasted each year due to faulty or missing gas caps. One way to minimize evaporation is to park in the shade when possible. Gasoline is sold by volume, and expands when warm, so the smart consumer will purchase gasoline early in the morning or at night.
The weight of your vehicle has a direct impact on your mileage, so remove any unnecessary objects from your trunk and pickup bed. Drag is another culprit, so detach bike racks and roof racks when not needed. When driving in town, avoid using your air conditioner and roll the windows down, but on the highway it may be better to turn on the AC rather than driving with the windows open, which increases drag. Contrary to urban legend, pickup trucks are more aerodynamic with their tailgates up.
Cruise control is perhaps the most effective method of conserving fuel on the highway. Using cruise control will ensure that your vehicle travels at a steady speed over long distances, and is one of the most efficient ways to save money while traveling. While this may not be a popular suggestion in wide-open Montana, driving a little slower on the highway will boost your fuel efficiency. Most vehicles get their best mileage at about 65 miles per hour, with fuel efficiency dropping approximately 1% for every additional mile per hour. In other words, traveling at 85 mph is 20% less efficient than traveling at 65 mph.
Driving habits are important around town as well. Higher gas prices have given birth to a new movement called hypermiling, which is the art of driving in such a way as to maximize vehicle mileage. One of the key principles of hypermiling is to know what kind of mileage you are getting. At the very least you should track your mileage every time you fill your tank, by dividing the number of miles traveled since the last fill-up by the number of gallons consumed. Digital trip computers that track gas mileage have been around for 20 years, and are pretty much standard on new cars, but there are also aftermarket computers that can be added to most older cars via a data port. These computers can record the rate of fuel consumption, amount of fuel remaining, time and distance to running out of gas, and other information.
Another principle of hypermiling is to avoid tailgating and aggressive driving. Minimize braking and take your foot off the gas as soon as you see a traffic light turn red or a driver brake in front of you. Accelerate slowly away from traffic lights and stop signs. A little forethought and route planning can eliminate unnecessary trips. Whenever possible combine errands, drive at non-peak hours, and get an early start so you’re not feeling rushed.
Which brings us to those gas-savings devices advertised on late night television and on the Internet. Some of these are outright scams. In fact the Environmental Protection Agency has tested more than 100 such devices and additives and “has not found any product that significantly improves gas mileage.” Significant may be the key word there. At $4 per gallon, even a marginal improvement might be worth investigating. The Missoula County Sheriff’s department has been testing a cold air intake device, which they estimate could save the County about $40,000 annually if installed on all of its vehicles.
More information:
www.hypermiling.com – Information on how to dramatically increase your mileage and save money by changing your driving habits.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/ - This government website provides mileage estimates for new and used cars, information on hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer.htm – This Environmental Protection Agency website has a green vehicle guide, and a wealth of information on vehicle emissions and gas-saving devices
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesandfuels/ – US Dept. of Energy website on alternative vehicles and fuels
Northwestern Energy looks at options March 21, 2008
Posted by Gary Glynn in Fossil fuels.Tags: Anaconda, Colstrip, Credit Suisse, Northwestern Energy, power line
add a comment
Northwestern Energy is considering building a natural gas fired electrical generating plant adjacent to the Mill Creek substation near Anaconda. They are considering a plant in the 120 to 220 MW range, which would help stabilize their existing power lines and firm up the power produced by wind generation. If the plant is built, construction will probably begin in 2009, with a completion date of 2010. It is expected to cost more than $100 million, and employ 10 full-time workers after construction is complete.Northwestern has also retained the service of Credit Suisse to evaluate their “strategic options” with regard to their stake in the Colstrip 4 plant. Northwestern leased this power until 2007, when they purchased 222 MW outright. Approximately 40% of this power is used in Montana, with another 40% shipped to the Seattle area. The Montana Consumer Council believes that Northwestern violated the terms of the 2004 agreement that brought the company out of bankruptcy when they purchased this power without first receiving permission from the Montana Public Service Commission.
Skeptics of human-caused global warming meet in New York March 12, 2008
Posted by Gary Glynn in Fossil fuels, carbon emissions, global warming.Tags: Fred Singer, global warming skeptics, Heartland institute, oil industry front groups
1 comment so far
The Heartland Institute recently hosted the 2008 International Conference on Climate Change, subtitled “Global Warming is Not A Crisis.” The intent of the conference was clearly aimed at debunking the “myth” of global warming.
With presentations like “Oceans, Not Carbon Dioxide, Are Driving Climate” by William Gray, and “Nature, Not Human Activity, Rules the Climate” by S. Fred Singer, the conference was cleverly designed to downplay the impacts that industrial emissions are having on our climate. Singer, a George Mason University professor who has long railed against “junk science” showing tobacco smoke causes lung cancer, and sun exposure causes melanoma, is now intent on proving humans are not responsible for climate change. “Most climate change is natural,” he contends. The human contribution is not significant. Therefore, climate change is unstoppable.” In other words, Don’t Worry. Be happy.
For more information on the sponsorship of this conference by large tobacco and oil companies, see http://www.prwatch.org/node/7072. A list of the sponsors of this conference (mostly industry front groups with innocuous sounding names) can be found at: http://www.heartland.org/NewYork08/sponsorships.cfm.
What role will coal play in Montana’s future? March 6, 2008
Posted by Gary Glynn in Fossil fuels, energy technology.Tags: coal technology, Gov. Brian Schweitzer, Montana coal reserve, Powder River Basin, syngas
add a comment
The estimated 120 billion tons of coal that lie beneath the Montana soil constitute the nation’s largest coal reserves, although actual production in the Treasure State is only one-tenth of coal production in Wyoming, even though Montana has nearly twice the coal reserves of our neighbor to the south. Most coal mined in the state is low-sulfur sub-bituminous in the Powder River Basin, primarily in Big Horn and Rosebud Counties
New coal plants face a daunting set of hurdles before they produce their first watt of electricity. Although more than 150 coal-fired plants have been proposed for the United States in the past decade, only 10 have been built, with another 25 under construction. Almost 60 have been cancelled outright, often due to concerns from increasing regulation designed to head off global warming, skyrocketing construction costs, and a reluctance by Wall Street firms to finance what is becoming an increasingly unpopular form of energy investment.
Nevertheless, Gov. Schweitzer continues to believe coal development will play an important role in Montana’s energy future. According to his website, “Montana is actively pursuing development of ultra-clean coal technology in the areas of our major coal deposits in central and eastern Montana.” The governor envisions using Montana coal to produce syngas, a mixture of gases that can be made into liquid fuel, burned in power plants, or refined into natural gas. Supposedly, pollutants such as mercury and carbon dioxide can be removed from the gas.
A so-called Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle plant uses a process developed in Germany prior to World War II to convert coal into liquid fuels. South Africa reportedly produces 300,000 gallons of diesel and gasoline each day from this type plant. More information on his plan can be found at
Is the Flathead still threatened by methane drilling? February 28, 2008
Posted by Gary Glynn in Fossil fuels.Tags: BP Canada, coal-bed methane, Flathead, Glacier National Park
add a comment
The Missoulian today reported that despite an announcement last week by Sen. Max Baucus, BP Canada is still interested in drilling for coal-bed methane in the Flathead Valley just north of Glacier National Park. A Baucus spokesman hinted that the company may have “lied to two US Senators.” BP Canada plans to drill in the adjacent Elk River drainage, in hopes of proving that they can one day drill in the pristine Flathead without impacting water quality. In the meantime, they plan to continue with environmental studies in preparation for future drilling. A subsidiary of British Petroleum, BP Canada is headquartered in Calgary. The Missoulian article quoted Canadian lawmaker Bill Bennett as saying ”the decision to remove the Flathead from the tenure process signals a recognition by our government that there is a difference between the Flathead drainage and the Elk drainage.” He went on to say The Flathead is, in fact, a very special place. I know that.”
