EnergyMiser101

Propane--The Alternative Fuel of the 1950s

     This week we heard General Motors tout the fuel efficiency of its electric Chevy Volt at an astonishing 230 miles per gallon. The Volt, set for a 2010 debut, is one of many alternative fuel automobiles under development. Honda this week reiterated its commitment to a hydrogen-powered car. Others will be powered by ethanol, natural gas and bio diesel.

     There's a lot of excitement over these cutting-edge technologies, but alternative fuel vehicles are nothing new. In fact, they have been around for a very long time. One of the trailblazers was none other than my father-in-law Joe who tried something entirely new on a 1950 Plymouth, similar to the one pictured--converting its six-cylinder gasoline engine to run on propane!

Turn Off the AC, Turn On the Fan

      I'm not a big fan of air conditioning because I don't like that closed up feeling. But when the temperature hits 85 and it's humid, I love it. It's especially great at night when you're trying to fall asleep. But the other night, just as a test, my husband and I decided to try something different. What we found out is that you don't need to keep the air conditioner running all night to sleep like a baby—at least we don't.

      We have a 6500 BTU, 390 watt window unit in our bedroom. We also have an oscillating fan that's 48 watts when it's running on high speed and 40 watts when it's running on medium speed. The air conditioner costs 44 cents to operate for 24 hours, and the fan costs 16 cents a day when it's running on the highest speed.

 

Explore Sony's Technology Lab

    If you happen to be visiting New York City with children, bring them to Sony's Free Technology Lab in the Sony Building at 550 Madison Ave and 56th Street in Manhattan. Be prepared for a hands-on learning experience that can last several hours and is loads of fun.
     There are many exhibits including a temporary one that is a partnership between an organization called Stepping Stones and one called Conservation Quest. It contains 4 or 5 stations that allow kids to see the different ways energy is generated and used in our daily lives. There are also some visually riveting explanations of how devices like cell phones, play stations and digital cameras work. Visitors have opportunities to perform virtual heart surgery, work in an animation studio, create a high-definition television production and play in a virtual band.  Kids love it and adults do too, especially since admission is free. But you do need a reservation and  tickets to get in.  So it's best to phone first, at least a week before you want to go. The phone number is (212) 833-8100. 
     You also can visit their website at wondertechlab.sony.com.

Why Do Crude Oil Prices Fluctuate So Much?

      Price volatility is expected in any commodity market. In fact it's how people trading those commodities make money. But lately crude oil and related products like gasoline and heating oil have had so many wild price swings that business owners and even homeowners have had a difficult time budgeting their energy costs. Here's some background for you on why these swings may be happening.

    To understand the current pattern of oil prices, one has to put those prices into some historic perspective. When I was covering petrochemical markets in the early 1990s and we were in the middle of a bull market one of my colleagues insisted that crude prices would soon (in a matter of months) top $100 per barrel.