Until alternative liquid fuels can be produced in large quantities, economically and sustainably, gasoline vehicles will not become a marginal mode of transportation. This is determined by a fundamental aspect of human nature: we all want to satisfy our needs with the least effort.

--Gordon Bin Zhao

 

A public message to the US Secretary of Energy

 
A public message to the US Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm (I hope she can receive this message):

Is there a general direction for rivers to flow? The answer is yes. Gravity determines the general direction of river flow, which is from high altitudes to low altitudes.

Is there a general direction for social development? I believe the answer is also yes. Human nature determines what kind of product will ultimately prevail. The fundamental nature of human beings is to satisfy their needs with the least effort.

Gasoline, as a liquid fuel, has more than 10 times the energy storage density of rechargeable batteries, and it is quick and easy for individuals to refill.

Those who advocate for 100% electric cars must ask a fundamental question: Which type of car is easier or more convenient for people to use to satisfy their transportation needs - a gasoline or an electric car?

 

Supplementary explanation：

The context of this message is the movement currently being discussed in the US called 100% electric cars by 2035 or 2050.

My point is that 100% electric cars is an impossible goal. Obviously, those who advocate 100% electric cars have good intentions to cure climate change, which is definitely a severe problem. However, they may not know that although electric motors have a higher efficiency (around 90%) than internal combustion engines (ICEs) (around 30%), the energy density of gasoline (about 12,200 Wh/kg or 9,700 Wh/L) is more than 40 times greater in weight and 10 times greater in volume than that of the best rechargeable batteries (200-300 Wh/kg or 400-500 Wh/L). This is why gasoline-powered cars have a longer range. It is also much quicker to refuel with gasoline (around 5 minutes) than to recharge batteries (more than 30 minutes).

 

A New Quote in the World

The contribution of virtual meeting platforms, such as Zoom, to improving social efficiency and mitigating climate change is not negligible.

 -Gordon Bin Zhao

A New Quote in the World

One thing you can do about Climate Change is to attend virtual meetings rather than in-person meetings whenever possible.   

– Gordon Bin Zhao

What Really is COVID-19?

This is the PowerPoint presentation slides for my speech titled "What Really Is COVID-19?" The speech was delivered on November 14, 2020, at the Fairleigh Early Birds Toastmasters Club in New Jersey, USA.

Why will dominant alternative transportation fuels be liquid fuels, not electricity or hydrogen?

This is my recently published paper. The link is:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421517304019

If you would like to read the whole text, please email me: binzhaode@gmail.com.  

Highlights of the paper

•    Existing transportation infrastructure favors liquid fuels.
•    The human nature of satisfying their needs with least effort favors liquid fuels.
•    Continuing supply of oil will reinforce existing transportation infrastructure.
•    Understanding alternative fuel market helps avoid making unrealistic policies.

Abstract

The nature of oil as a finite and non-renewable resource determines that the world oil production will eventually peak. Alternative fuels are energy to fill in the gap for transportation. The types of the alternative transportation fuels include electricity, gaseous, liquid, and solid energy carriers. Understanding what type of alternative fuels will dominate alternative transportation fuel market is critical for policy-makers to make sound decisions to develop alternative fuels. The purpose of the paper is to analyze the general trend of alternative fuel market by applying principles that govern the biological and technological evolutions. Existing transportation infrastructure favors liquid alternative fuels over electricity and hydrogen. The human nature of satisfying their needs with least effort also favors liquid fuels over electricity and hydrogen. And continuing supply of oil will reinforce existing transportation infrastructure, which will continue to make it impossible for electricity or hydrogen based transportation system to compete with current liquid fuel based transportation system economically.

Keywords

Transportation energy, Alternative fuel,Peak oil, Prediction,Path dependence,Human nature

Sections of the paper

1.   Introduction
2.   Existing transportation infrastructure favors liquid fuels
3.   The human nature of satisfying their needs with least effort favors liquid fuels
4.   Continuing supply of oil will reinforce existing transportation infrastructure
5.   Conclusions and policy implications
6.   References