Natalie,
Besides the energy-saving methods you mentioned there's another one which
might come on scene fairly soon and this is KERS (Kinetic Energy
Regenerative Braking) on cars. If, on braking, the excess kinetic energy is
stored in a flywheel or a battery via an electricity generator, instead of
being wasted by heating up the brakes, then small, but certainly not
trivial fuel savings can be made. I don't know what the actual savings
would be but 5-10% is my guess. KERS is already used in several electric
vehicles and it was even used in some horse-drawn cabs a century ago! (This
really didn't directly benefit the horse, mind you, or relieve the owner
from feeding it sufficient hay! The excess momentum of the horse when being
reined back was redirected by a device on the front wheels of the cab into
a battery which could then light the cab of a dark evening!)
Keith
Keith Hudson, Saltford, England
<http://allisstatus.wordpress.com/2010/12/>http://allisstatus.wordpress.com/2010/12/
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