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This is encouraging, but I couldn't find the word 'cost' anywhere in the article. Any technology that claims to replace an existing commodity like plastic needs
by anuraggoel 18y ago
This is encouraging, but I couldn't find the word 'cost' anywhere in the article. Any technology that claims to replace an existing commodity like plastic needs to pass what Vinod Khosla calls the 'Chindia test': if it's not cheap enough to be commercially viable in China and India, it's not going to be successful.
- dominik 18y agoTrue, but cost depends on scale. And economies of scale can quickly make the expensive cheap.
- anuraggoel 18y agoCost goes down with scale only when scaling is cheap, but the article also does not mention the production technology's ability to scale cheaply.
- noonespecial 18y agoNor does it mention the actual energy required to make the stuff. It very well may require more fossil fuels in energy to make it than using the same oil directly in plastic.
- cdr 18y agoIf it in fact does not use petroleum products, the rising price of petroleum will at some point make it more cost-effective. Plus it has other properties that are desirable in some situations, such as a wood-like finish.
- deleted 18y ago[deleted]
- cdr 18y agoMaybe it wasn't clear, but /more cost effective than plastic/ - which is all that's required. Regardless, if this material is at all viable, like the other comment says the cost will go down anyway as production is further refined and volume scales up.
- anuraggoel 18y agoI misunderstood your comment. Original comment deleted! I agree that it needs to be cheaper than plastic (and this thing might be). All I'm saying is that any articles talking about alternatives should attempt to discuss economics of production as well.
- electromagnetic 18y agoThe ideal example of price to volume in manufacturing product is probably portland cement, it's produced in astronomical quantities and is literally cheaper than dirt.
- light3 18y agoThat can't be true, there are people(like me) who are willing to buy this even if its 10-20 times the price of plastic. For one it would be bio-degradable, and you wouldn't worry as much keeping this stuff around children because this is natural material. Sure there are extremely poor people who might not be able to afford the extra money, but anybody concerned with the environment and their health would have sufficient reason to use this material. Another argument is that since plastic is so cheap, even if this liquid wood is many times the price of plastic it can still be affordable.
- fbailey 18y agoRead the article before you make health claims.