it's been a while since I last posted... cranky child, endless job and a combination of facebook and twitter account for 95% of my data needs
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For long haul power transmission you need either high voltage high tension lines or if it's really far high-voltage direct current. Either way you need a series of substations to drop the voltage down for your third rail. HVDC is better because there is less loss and you can do longer runs and you don't have to worry about phase matching if you go far enough to interconnect two a/c grids. But then it is harder to use that power locally for your rail. Either way you need a separate run (which could be co-located) because your 3rd rail isn't going to carry the electricity all the way by itself.
How do you charge the trucks for their usage? You mention wind power as one renewable source but a lot of long-haul trucking occurs at night when the winds have died down. Is this all a government subsidy earmarked as "environmental cleanup?" Or do we add a $2/gal diesel tax to pay for it since most diesel users would be getting a "free ride" half the time... to the chagrin of Mercedes, VW, and other diesel automobile manufactures that already face myriad challenges increasing segment share of diesels in the American passenger car market.
It's not a free ride for all, just those withthe necessary equipment. I say 18 wheelers cause they are a reasonably standard platform and easily upgraded. Just having a diesel engine isn't enough.
It is a simple kWh usage charge, just like everybody pays for power. Easypass has set the standard for pay-as-you-go highway billing, we do that for highway electric use. No money left in your account? The poelwer goes away and you need to burn diesel.
The highways are simply a conduit that wind power can flow down, although a hybrid aspect of it could be that rigs breaking down hill could regenerate power for those going up. The power bottleneck is always transmission. And yes, it can be windy at night, so there!
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It is a simple kWh usage charge, just like everybody pays for power. Easypass has set the standard for pay-as-you-go highway billing, we do that for highway electric use. No money left in your account? The poelwer goes away and you need to burn diesel.
The highways are simply a conduit that wind power can flow down, although a hybrid aspect of it could be that rigs breaking down hill could regenerate power for those going up. The power bottleneck is always transmission. And yes, it can be windy at night, so there!
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