Oil Shock Need Not Affect Australia, Says GM

[JoeT]

Oil Shock Need Not Affect Australia, Says GM

James Stanford
12 August 2008
www.goauto.com.au

General Motors' most senior global planner has outlined his vision for the Australian automotive landscape, in which our dependence on imported oil would end.

GM research and development and strategic planning vice-president Larry Burns, who met with federal industry minister Kim Carr and Victorian premier John Brumby yesterday to discuss future technologies for Holden, said Australia was in a prime position to become a self-sufficient energy producer and cut its emissions at the same time.

He said Australia’s viable future automotive energy sources could include LPG, CNG, biomass-generated ethanol, hydrogen, coal (which can be converted into liquid fuel) and electricity sourced from clean-coal processes or renewable resources.

Mr Burns said Australia could tap its plentiful supply of natural resources to move away from imported oil and therefore control its own destiny.

“I am quite envious of Australia because you are one of the nations that truly can have an energy independence strategy and you can find a way to reduce the automobile’s dependence on petroleum.

“When I did my background research for my trip to Australia I was fascinated to see how much coal you have – there certainly are pathways where coal can find its way to automobiles, whether it is through electrically-driven vehicles or creating hydrogen or coal to liquid,” he said.

“I was intrigued to see how much sunshine you have – solar continues to look promising longer term – I was intrigued as to how much natural gas you have and the potential for LPG and CNG vehicles, and I am intrigued by the biomass that could exist, both in municipal waste and plants that we don’t need (which could be used to produce ethanol).”

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GM R&D Boss Urges Energy Independence

Mike Sinclair
15 August 2008
www.carpoint.com.au

The man in charge of future-proofing General Motors says Australia needs to kick its crude habit.

GM's top boffin, Vice President Research and Development Larry Burns, has urged Australia to kick its petroleum habit and pursue energy independence.

Down Under to talk through the car giant's global plans with government, technical groups, Holden staff and the local automotive media, Burns reinforced local boss, Mark Reuss' plans for Holden to follow a multi-fuel strategy (more here), but went one step further -- urging the country to push for a fuel future free of imported petroleum.

"When I did my background reading for the trip out to Australia, I was fascinated to see how much coal you have and certainly there are pathways where coal could find its way to automobiles -- whether it's through electrically-driven vehicles or creating hydrogen or coal-to-liquid [fuels]," Burns explained.

"I was intrigued by how much sunshine you have and solar energy continues to look promising longer term. I'm intrigued by how much natural gas you have and the potential for LPG and CNG vehicles; and quite frankly I'm intrigued by the amount of bio-mass that could exist -- both in the form of municipal waste, also plants that we don't eat... And so I feel a bit enviable of Australia because I think you're one of the nations that truly can come up with an energy independent strategy and you can find a way to reduce the automobile's dependence on petroleum by finding pathways for this energy to get to the automobile."

Burns says Reuss' short-term strategy to push forward with E85 ethanol-fuelled vehicles, in addition to further development of LPG-fuelled vehicles, makes sense. At the same time, he suggests Australia should invest aggressively in natural gas, solar, biofuel and, eventually, hydrogen infrastructure.

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Stage Set For Alternative Fuels & Active Fuel Management, Says Holden

[RedVee8]

wishful thinking?
One can but hope it is so.

[mmciau]

Originally Posted by RedVee8

wishful thinking?
One can but hope it is so.

we have a sugar industry 'idling' up in the Ord region. There is a sugar processing plant there too so there is an opportunity for a lot of E85

Brazil makes nearly all their ethanol from sugar.

Mike

[RedVee8]

Originally Posted by mmciau

we have a sugar industry 'idling' up in the Ord region. There is a sugar processing plant there too so there is an opportunity for a lot of E85

Brazil makes nearly all their ethanol from sugar.

Mike

Sweet.

[minnfang]

I am intrigued by the number of times he used the word intrigued...

[mikmak]

Originally Posted by RedVee8

Sweet.

It is impossible for me to sufficiently identify to magnitude of my opposition to Sugar derived ethanol. There are more important ways to utilise the properties of sugar cane. The continuing development of Queensland means land is getting more scarce and the choice for mill owners to sell out to developers is becoming easier with every increase in migration, real estate value and failure by the federal government to provide affordable housing for our burgeoning population.It must STOP before prices of other cane derived products skyrocket!!!

......

[jcgable]

Originally Posted by mmciau

we have a sugar industry 'idling' up in the Ord region. There is a sugar processing plant there too so there is an opportunity for a lot of E85

Brazil makes nearly all their ethanol from sugar.

Mike

But what will those of us trying to keep our girlish figures do?

[Slick_Holden]

We should be scared, So in the future, We can still drive 300lw+ cars..
Act now for the future of fast cars!.

[JoeT]

GM R&D Boss Urges Energy Independence

Mike Sinclair
15 August 2008
www.carpoint.com.au

The man in charge of future-proofing General Motors says Australia needs to kick its crude habit.

GM's top boffin, Vice President Research and Development Larry Burns, has urged Australia to kick its petroleum habit and pursue energy independence.

Down Under to talk through the car giant's global plans with government, technical groups, Holden staff and the local automotive media, Burns reinforced local boss, Mark Reuss' plans for Holden to follow a multi-fuel strategy (more here), but went one step further -- urging the country to push for a fuel future free of imported petroleum.

"When I did my background reading for the trip out to Australia, I was fascinated to see how much coal you have and certainly there are pathways where coal could find its way to automobiles -- whether it's through electrically-driven vehicles or creating hydrogen or coal-to-liquid [fuels]," Burns explained.

"I was intrigued by how much sunshine you have and solar energy continues to look promising longer term. I'm intrigued by how much natural gas you have and the potential for LPG and CNG vehicles; and quite frankly I'm intrigued by the amount of bio-mass that could exist -- both in the form of municipal waste, also plants that we don't eat... And so I feel a bit enviable of Australia because I think you're one of the nations that truly can come up with an energy independent strategy and you can find a way to reduce the automobile's dependence on petroleum by finding pathways for this energy to get to the automobile."

Burns says Reuss' short-term strategy to push forward with E85 ethanol-fuelled vehicles, in addition to further development of LPG-fuelled vehicles, makes sense. At the same time, he suggests Australia should invest aggressively in natural gas, solar, biofuel and, eventually, hydrogen infrastructure.

Click here to continue article

[Slick_Holden]

Import free oil in OZ??, Is that so the U.S can use more imported oil:p.