Oil and the economy

Posted by Moonage on 25 Aug 2005 | Tagged as: Oil Policy

Lots of talk of oil and how it’s bringing down the US economy.

This is the way I see things right now:

Oil as it’s adjusted for inflation:

Click for larger graph.

GDP during same time frame:

The GDP seems fairly consistent regardless of how wild the price of gas has swung. 

Economagic chart

Even the GDI seems fairly consistent.  The red streaks indicating recessions don’t really match up to rising gas prices.  Three of those streaks were during periods of decreasing gas prices.

So, I just don’t agree with all the doomsday profits on this one.  The US economy is just too robust and the price of gas had been just too cheap.  Now it’s returned to normal levels.  It’s also reached the point where we can start realistically turning to Canada, Mexico, and our South American friends instead of relying solely on the constant threat of embargo.  If the economy holds up with these prices, we’re that much better off for it.  We don’t need whacky responses to these prices. ( See Hawaii )

Technorati Tags:

3 Responses to “Oil and the economy”

  1. on 25 Aug 2005 at 10:19 pm 1.Bryan Kerwick said …

    Why is it such a calamity for gasoline to go up in price but cigarettes and bourbon is no problem?

    I need liberals to explain this to me.

    The theory goes that the heavily taxed items are done so to discourage consumption. Well, don’t we need to conserve energy?

    Another reason to heavily tax cigarettes and bourbon is because of the health hazards. Guess gasoline should go to the front of the list based on the quality of the air these days.

    Even though cigarettes and bourbon are legal products, they should be taxed into extinction for the well being of our nation as the liberal mantra goes.

    Oh my God, I just had a thought, I’m turning into a liberal.

  2. on 27 Aug 2005 at 9:40 am 2.Bryan Kerwick said …

    President Bush Demonstrates Commitment to Development of Hydrogen Fuel
    President Refuels GM Vehicle at First Hydrogen Refueling Station in the Country

    President Bush (left) talks to station operator Rick Scott and reporters while visiting the Shell hydrogen fueling station in Washington, DC,

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 25, 2005) – President George W. Bush refueled a General Motors Corp. hydrogen-powered minivan at a Shell station in Washington D.C. today, to demonstrate his commitment toward building a hydrogen economy and reducing our country’s dependence on fossil fuels.

    The President has promoted greater energy security through the development of new, clean, and domestically available fuels like hydrogen. The President has urged lawmakers to support his $1.7 billion energy bill that would reduce America’s need for imported oil and help clean the air by aiding the development of hydrogen fuel cells and affordable hydrogen-powered cars.

    Earlier this spring, GM announced in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) a five-year $88-million agreement to build a 40-vehicle fuel cell fleet and further develop the technology.

    Under the program, GM will spend $44-million to deploy fuel cell vehicle demonstration fleets in Washington D.C., New York, California and Michigan. The DOE will contribute the other half, under an agreement that expires in September 2009.

    In a separate commercial agreement, Shell Hydrogen, LLC will support GM by setting up five hydrogen refueling stations in Washington, DC., metropolitan New York City and between Washington D.C. and New York, or the “East Coast Corridor,” and in California. Other program partners include the U.S. Army at Ft. Belvoir, Va. and Quantum Technologies in Lake Forest, Calif. – providing facilities for GM to store and maintain fuel cell vehicles; NextEnergy in Detroit, Mich. for codes and standards development; and Viewpoint Systems in Rochester, New York for collecting and retrieving data remotely.

    GM also announced its partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense by introducing the world’s first fuel cell-powered truck into U.S. military service. The U.S. Army took delivery of the crew cab pickup at the GM research facility outside of Rochester, NY, where the vehicle’s two fuel cell power modules were made. GM’s partnership with the U.S. Army will familiarize the military with the next-generation of commercially-developed fuel cell technology, help to drive down costs, create potential for future joint development of fuel cells and promote the development of a hydrogen infrastructure. The U.S. Army will evaluate the experimental truck until July 2006 at an Army base in Ft. Belvoir, Va. Rigorous testing is planned in different climates and locations around the U.S. to assess performance and give the military first-hand experience with hydrogen and fuel cells.

    Hydrogen Internal Combustion

    Hybrid Technology

    Fuel Cells

    Freedom Car

    Hydrogen Internal Combustion

    Diesel Emissions System

    Variable Cam Timing

    Technology Report

    The Ford Model U Concept is propelled by an internal combustion engine (ICE) that’s optimized to run on hydrogen fuel instead of gasoline. The engine is supercharged and intercooled for maximum efficiency, power, and range. Its emission of all pollutants, including carbon dioxide, is nearly zero, and the engine is up to 25 percent more fuel-efficient than a typical gasoline engine.

    The hydrogen ICE is a common-sense powerplant that uses existing, proven technologies to deliver the environmental benefits of a hydrogen fuel cell, but at a fraction of the complexity and cost.

    The engine is based on Ford’s global 2.3-liter, I-4 engine used in the Ford Ranger, the European Ford Modeo, and a number of Mazda vehicles. It is optimized to burn hydrogen through the use of high-compression pistons, fuel injectors designed specifically for hydrogen gas, a coil-on-plug ignition system, an electronic throttle, and new engine management software.
    A supercharged 2.3-liter internal combustion engine that runs on hydrogen powers the Model U.

    Because hydrogen has a very wide combustion range (from 4 to 75 percent), hydrogen-fueled engines are able to use a wider range of air/fuel mixtures than gasoline engines, and can be run in the fuel-efficient “lean” regime without the complications of pre-ignition or “knock.” It can reach an overall efficiency of 38 percent, which is approximately 25 percent better than a gasoline engine.

    And, because there are no carbon atoms in the fuel, combustion of hydrogen produces no hydrocarbon or carbon dioxide emissions. Even without aftertreatment, oxides of nitrogen are very low, and catalyst research may soon reduce tailpipe output of potentially smog-forming emissions to below ambient conditions in many cities. This means that the air leaving the Model U’s tailpipe could actually be cleaner than the air coming into the engine.

    Designing a gasoline engine to burn hydrogen fuel has typically resulted in significantly lower power output—until now. Ford researchers have shown that with supercharging, the hydrogen ICE can deliver the same power as its gasoline counterpart and still provide near-zero-emissions performance and high fuel economy. The centrifugal-type supercharger provides nearly 15 pounds per square inch (psi) of boost on demand.

    Also, Model U uses a novel dual-stage intercooling process. After leaving the supercharger, the intake air passes through a conventional air-to-air intercooler, then through an air conditioning-to-air intercooler for a further reduction in temperature.

    Auto Shows
    Check out the latest models and concept vehicles across the entire lineup.
    President Bush Demonstrates Commitment to Development of Hydrogen Fuel
    President Refuels GM Vehicle at First Hydrogen Refueling Station in the Country

    President Bush (left) talks to station operator Rick Scott and reporters while visiting the Shell hydrogen fueling station in Washington, DC,

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 25, 2005) – President George W. Bush refueled a General Motors Corp. hydrogen-powered minivan at a Shell station in Washington D.C. today, to demonstrate his commitment toward building a hydrogen economy and reducing our country’s dependence on fossil fuels.

    The President has promoted greater energy security through the development of new, clean, and domestically available fuels like hydrogen. The President has urged lawmakers to support his $1.7 billion energy bill that would reduce America’s need for imported oil and help clean the air by aiding the development of hydrogen fuel cells and affordable hydrogen-powered cars.

    Earlier this spring, GM announced in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) a five-year $88-million agreement to build a 40-vehicle fuel cell fleet and further develop the technology.

    Under the program, GM will spend $44-million to deploy fuel cell vehicle demonstration fleets in Washington D.C., New York, California and Michigan. The DOE will contribute the other half, under an agreement that expires in September 2009.

    In a separate commercial agreement, Shell Hydrogen, LLC will support GM by setting up five hydrogen refueling stations in Washington, DC., metropolitan New York City and between Washington D.C. and New York, or the “East Coast Corridor,” and in California. Other program partners include the U.S. Army at Ft. Belvoir, Va. and Quantum Technologies in Lake Forest, Calif. – providing facilities for GM to store and maintain fuel cell vehicles; NextEnergy in Detroit, Mich. for codes and standards development; and Viewpoint Systems in Rochester, New York for collecting and retrieving data remotely.

    GM also announced its partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense by introducing the world’s first fuel cell-powered truck into U.S. military service. The U.S. Army took delivery of the crew cab pickup at the GM research facility outside of Rochester, NY, where the vehicle’s two fuel cell power modules were made. GM’s partnership with the U.S. Army will familiarize the military with the next-generation of commercially-developed fuel cell technology, help to drive down costs, create potential for future joint development of fuel cells and promote the development of a hydrogen infrastructure. The U.S. Army will evaluate the experimental truck until July 2006 at an Army base in Ft. Belvoir, Va. Rigorous testing is planned in different climates and locations around the U.S. to assess performance and give the military first-hand experience with hydrogen and fuel cells.

    Hydrogen Internal Combustion

    Hybrid Technology

    Fuel Cells

    Freedom Car

    Hydrogen Internal Combustion

    Diesel Emissions System

    Variable Cam Timing

    Technology Report

    The Ford Model U Concept is propelled by an internal combustion engine (ICE) that’s optimized to run on hydrogen fuel instead of gasoline. The engine is supercharged and intercooled for maximum efficiency, power, and range. Its emission of all pollutants, including carbon dioxide, is nearly zero, and the engine is up to 25 percent more fuel-efficient than a typical gasoline engine.

    The hydrogen ICE is a common-sense powerplant that uses existing, proven technologies to deliver the environmental benefits of a hydrogen fuel cell, but at a fraction of the complexity and cost.

    The engine is based on Ford’s global 2.3-liter, I-4 engine used in the Ford Ranger, the European Ford Modeo, and a number of Mazda vehicles. It is optimized to burn hydrogen through the use of high-compression pistons, fuel injectors designed specifically for hydrogen gas, a coil-on-plug ignition system, an electronic throttle, and new engine management software.
    A supercharged 2.3-liter internal combustion engine that runs on hydrogen powers the Model U.

    Because hydrogen has a very wide combustion range (from 4 to 75 percent), hydrogen-fueled engines are able to use a wider range of air/fuel mixtures than gasoline engines, and can be run in the fuel-efficient “lean” regime without the complications of pre-ignition or “knock.” It can reach an overall efficiency of 38 percent, which is approximately 25 percent better than a gasoline engine.

    And, because there are no carbon atoms in the fuel, combustion of hydrogen produces no hydrocarbon or carbon dioxide emissions. Even without aftertreatment, oxides of nitrogen are very low, and catalyst research may soon reduce tailpipe output of potentially smog-forming emissions to below ambient conditions in many cities. This means that the air leaving the Model U’s tailpipe could actually be cleaner than the air coming into the engine.

    Designing a gasoline engine to burn hydrogen fuel has typically resulted in significantly lower power output—until now. Ford researchers have shown that with supercharging, the hydrogen ICE can deliver the same power as its gasoline counterpart and still provide near-zero-emissions performance and high fuel economy. The centrifugal-type supercharger provides nearly 15 pounds per square inch (psi) of boost on demand.

    Also, Model U uses a novel dual-stage intercooling process. After leaving the supercharger, the intake air passes through a conventional air-to-air intercooler, then through an air conditioning-to-air intercooler for a further reduction in temperature.

    Auto Shows
    Check out the latest models and concept vehicles across the entire lineup.

  3. on 16 Apr 2008 at 9:00 am 3.tired of marriage sex said …

    [...] the Iraq war, promoting same-sex marriage, …http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=13043Oil and the economyOil and the economyWorkforce and Elections???Better than economists expected???, Pt 2Allawi and the [...]

Trackback This Post | Subscribe to the comments through RSS Feed

Leave a Reply

Related Posts

  • Hurricanes, Economy, and Elections
  • “Better than economists expected”, Pt 2
  • Higher Employment and Lower Unemployment a Bad Thing?
  • The Democrat Agenda
  • Time Magazine Poll
  • It’s the economy, stupid
  • It’s the economy, stupid
  • Mish’s Deflation Prediction
  • Boycotting Chavez
  • Federal Trade Deficit Declines
  • That pesky fundamentals issue
  • Pelosi on the economy
  • Obama and the stock market
  • McCain and regulation
  • Index of Economic Freedom
  • Bush’s Reckless Economic Policies
  • Worst president since Hoover?
  • Nancy Pelosi’s destroying the country
  • Iraq and the IMF
  • The Consequences of pork barrel spending?
  • « Gas Guzzlers and the Media

    Republican Babe of the Week »