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As if ICEs are going to be replaced for emergency power generation any time soon. And with new tech coming out where regular gasoline engines can be as efficien

As if ICEs are going to be replaced for emergency power generation any time soon. And with new tech coming out where regular gasoline engines can be as efficient as diesels (in fact using the Diesel cycle to a degree) if not more, you're going to find a resurgence of them in hybrid-electric vehicles. I doubt you're going to be rolling around with a solar-powered weed-eater to do your yardwork. I can guarantee you aren't replacing the ICE for things as large as earth movers any time soon.

denimnerd 9y ago
no, we use battery powered lawn equipment though.
Broken_Hippo 9y ago
"I doubt you're going to be rolling around with a solar-powered weed-eater to do your yardwork" They already have electric weed-eaters. I can easily imagine those engines having a battery, complete with a solar powered charger, likely with an option for direct power. If your house power is solar as well, it still works. I don't think this stuff is hard to imagine. Large earth movers are a different beast, simply because of the heavy load. I predict these will be much further off. But so long as they have enough power, I don't see the issue with them being electric at some point.
ghaff 9y ago
Weed-whackers are probably not the best example. Apparently the current battery-powered ones are pretty good for typical personal home use. But absolutely for anything bigger or with a higher duty cycle (e.g. that lawn services would use).
- mikeash 9y ago
  Small engines like those are also horrendously dirty. A gas-powered lawnmower, for example, produces an order of magnitude more pollution than a car in the same amount of time. Weed whackers, despite being smaller, can be even worse because smallness means less complete combustion. Lawn equipment is fairly low-hanging fruit for electrification, much easier than cars, and would have a disproportionate impact on air quality.
  - ghaff 9y ago
    The big difference is that two-cycle engines mix oil in with the gasoline. Something small like weed-whackers are usually two-cycle. Lawn mowers can be either. As I said, the current crop of battery-powered weed whackers are apparently pretty good. When I've looked into robo electric-powered lawn mowers though, they really seemed to be for pretty minimal yards. I don't keep much of my property as lawn and, still, nothing out there seemed like it would be very effective.
- danans 9y ago
  I was at a beach resort recently and the grounds crew were mowing the lawn with battery powered commercial electric riding lawn mowers. Apparently the guests appreciate not breathing the exhaust fumes and they are much cheaper to operate. The future is here.
kumarvvr 9y ago
You could have a highly efficient ICE that powers a DC bus in your home, that is also connected to your Solar array, that provides clean / efficient power to all our devices. With recent advancements in electronics, DC power seems to be a good bet, especially when considering the ubiquity of solar systems.
maxsilver 9y ago
> I doubt you're going to be rolling around with a solar-powered weed-eater to do your yardwork. I wouldn't doubt that. I have a carbon-neutral wireless electric weed-eater. Throw some spinning blades on it, and it will cut down small trees too. I also have a carbon-neutral wireless electric lawnmower. And a carbon-neutral wireless electric snowblower. You can buy all three yourself, today, in the US at almost any Home Depot store nationwide.
- lightedman 9y ago
  >carbon-neutral I almost guarantee those plastics were not manufactured using a carbon-neutral process.

denimnerd 9y ago

no, we use battery powered lawn equipment though.

Broken_Hippo 9y ago

"I doubt you're going to be rolling around with a solar-powered weed-eater to do your yardwork" They already have electric weed-eaters. I can easily imagine those engines having a battery, complete with a solar powered charger, likely with an option for direct power. If your house power is solar as well, it still works. I don't think this stuff is hard to imagine. Large earth movers are a different beast, simply because of the heavy load. I predict these will be much further off. But so long as they have enough power, I don't see the issue with them being electric at some point.

ghaff 9y ago

Weed-whackers are probably not the best example. Apparently the current battery-powered ones are pretty good for typical personal home use. But absolutely for anything bigger or with a higher duty cycle (e.g. that lawn services would use).

mikeash 9y ago
Small engines like those are also horrendously dirty. A gas-powered lawnmower, for example, produces an order of magnitude more pollution than a car in the same amount of time. Weed whackers, despite being smaller, can be even worse because smallness means less complete combustion. Lawn equipment is fairly low-hanging fruit for electrification, much easier than cars, and would have a disproportionate impact on air quality.
- ghaff 9y ago
  The big difference is that two-cycle engines mix oil in with the gasoline. Something small like weed-whackers are usually two-cycle. Lawn mowers can be either. As I said, the current crop of battery-powered weed whackers are apparently pretty good. When I've looked into robo electric-powered lawn mowers though, they really seemed to be for pretty minimal yards. I don't keep much of my property as lawn and, still, nothing out there seemed like it would be very effective.
danans 9y ago
I was at a beach resort recently and the grounds crew were mowing the lawn with battery powered commercial electric riding lawn mowers. Apparently the guests appreciate not breathing the exhaust fumes and they are much cheaper to operate. The future is here.

kumarvvr 9y ago

You could have a highly efficient ICE that powers a DC bus in your home, that is also connected to your Solar array, that provides clean / efficient power to all our devices. With recent advancements in electronics, DC power seems to be a good bet, especially when considering the ubiquity of solar systems.

maxsilver 9y ago

> I doubt you're going to be rolling around with a solar-powered weed-eater to do your yardwork. I wouldn't doubt that. I have a carbon-neutral wireless electric weed-eater. Throw some spinning blades on it, and it will cut down small trees too. I also have a carbon-neutral wireless electric lawnmower. And a carbon-neutral wireless electric snowblower. You can buy all three yourself, today, in the US at almost any Home Depot store nationwide.

lightedman 9y ago
>carbon-neutral I almost guarantee those plastics were not manufactured using a carbon-neutral process.