Hey Ron,

As a microbiologist, I’ve always thought there must be a way to tap into those little reactors en masse and make them produce energy. They’re looking into using them to produce ethanol, etc… Looking into methane as a fuel (plenty of biowaste always around!) I found Volvo is using this in Europe: http://www.truehealth.org/volvomethanecars.html

So if you run out of gas, just have a can of chili beans (I was gonna say beer… but the two don’t mix.) handy and it’ll get you to the next gas station ;o)

Maybe out next generation of power plants need to located over garbage dumps. Garbage in power out.

Well, it appears this invention gets shelved for the same reason many of ours do. As a Volvo customer, I e-mailed them asking when the Bi-fuel vehicles would be available in the US, this was the response:

“Thank you for taking the time to contact Volvo regarding Bi-Fuel vehicles for the United States Market. Volvo Cars decided in October 2006 to take time out in the production of Bi-Fuel cars. The reason for this is a lack of profitability, small sales volumes, and the need for excessively high investments in order to offer Bi-Fuel in the next generation of cars.

We will continue to work on developing more and more fuel efficient cars not just to meet the statutory requirements, but also because our customers demand them. Volvo is actively studying the viability of alternative fuel vehicles but no product information has been announced. Please find the latest information posted on our website at www.volvocars.us.”

So it’s not that the idea isn’t great… you know the rest.

Hmmm….this thread might be getting interesting. I’ve been facinated with transportation systems since 5 yrs. old.

I think what may be the trick is to now invent the transportation infrasructure rails/roads and then the super efficient vehicles to adapt. Building the vehicles to the roads that were built with conceptions and speculations 100 years ago is now wrong and unfit.

I always pictured a one seater vehicle but the problem is crash tests and safety compliances. If we built a new type of road/rail first; and single lane. Maybe elevated like a monorail so not to disturb existing?

I picture these tiny bubble like vehicles to be state owned and you pay as you ride; maybe all electric like some trains. In essence it would be like building the railroad system over again from scratch.

Sooner or later this will have to be done in some sort of way like I am saying. Thought about this over 20 years.

Anyone got 500 million to help me build a testing run?

Hey Edison Nation people….you there? Can I submit this for the contest?

Ron Komorowski
Inventor of Handi-Straps
www.handi-straps.com

You nailed it Ron. That’s what my old man was saying this morning as I drove him to JFK airport. We have roads built for traffic volume 100 yrs. ago and at least 10 times more people and vehicles. Some years ago I was vacationing in the Dominican Republic and they were building an underground expressway beneath a main thoroughfare to ease congestion. Imagine that… underground (or above-ground) bypasses to get around accidents that clog up rush-hour traffic. But here in NJ you know 500 million will maybe get you a 5 mile bypass. I was driving home today on Route 21 traffic through Newark (I avoid the NJ Parkway on predictably congested days… Like Fridays in the summer… snow days in the winter… and like on 9/11 – I drove on Rt. 21 to get home faster and could see the smoke of the towers burning across the river.) While I was driving today I wondered what would happen if at every stop or at every stop-light everyone just turned off their ignition until traffic moved again. Fat chance. Or what if cars were designed to use minimal fuel while idling? But we all know we like big trucks and SUVs, they’re so spacious! When I was in Paris, I was surprised to see all the small cars. Not only because of the limited parking space, but because gas is expensive and sold by the liter. In poor underdeveloped countries in the Caribbean they’re on scooters, mopeds, and super-crowded public transportation. We’re ironically stuck with the great inventions of great inventors of 100 years ago of machinery run with fossil fuels. What we need is to learn from nature (creation) in that energy created produces a waste product, and the waste product is reused to again create energy. I think this one may be beyond EN and our simple minds.

Let’s not leave out water transportation. I noticed a lot of people are selling their boats. Gas costs for them too. Any ideas? Wave generators?

To Rafael: You evaluated roadway history which I wasn’t even thinking of. VERY good insight. Since I was a kid I was thinking of new transportation systems. Even before I could drive anything.

I just think we need to develop a super efficient mass transportation rail system that is not box cars but individual cars. Cars that run automatically and don’t have to be driven, just started and directed on and off this highway rail type system.

It would be a mass project as like building the nation’s railway over but not rip up the old, sort of in addition.

Us hauling 3000 lbs of steel around to carry a 200lb body never made sense to me according to physics. The most anti-efficient movement of a body. We need alternative high tech systems. The sooner we take the plunge to build the better we will be. It may be those trains that run on repelling magnetism or a variation. I’m hoping so.

To Mark: Boats!!! Yeah right!!! I can’t imagine who could afford a boat! I always dreamed of a yacht and people ask me when they meet me when I will get one; the successful guy’s reward I guess.

Huh! There goes my dream! Too wasteful now even if you have the money!

Wave generators are super cool. Those wave farms I guess you are talking about. Mega power can be harnessed from oceans.

One thing, in these days of so needed change, it is exciting for an inventor as “he” is so needed. Trouble is, most of these great breakthroughs will be founded in colleges. I think the best place to work on them is colleges if you can.

I am starting to work with a number of colleges on the impact of Handi-Straps on the world. To define all the benefits.

A good thing to know for inventors, colleges’ doors are open to external ideas and research and can be quite helpful. Those doors may be small and hidden but keep trying.

Ron Komorowski
Inventor of Handi-Straps
www.handi-straps.com

Yes, I was talking about wave farms, just at a much smaller level. Electric boats that charge from built-in wave generators while they sit at the dock. Actually except for gas, you don’t need to be rich to get into boating. A used 12 – 14 ft. tri-hull is a lot of fun and quite affordable.
Also I know a lot of blue-collar types who love fishing. These gas prices hurt!

Hey Ron, I feel your pain. I filled my heating oil tank in March 2008. 200 gallons for $860.00. Ouch!!!! I searched the internet for a way to make my own BIOFUEL, In my search I have learned many different things. 1st I followed a simple plan for a hydrogen cell. I have been a auto technician for over 30 years and this idea interested me. It took me 5 months or so to get the right formula of electronics & hydrogen working together. My 2000 hyundai elantra wagon was getting 14 city & 24 hwy. Now it gets 23 city and 57 hwy. I put another system on my friends 1994 chevy suburban with a 5.7 engine was getting 9 miles per gallon. Now it gets, 21 mpg. 2nd I also formulated a fuel additive that gave my vehicle 20% more horse power & approx 2 to 5 mpg. 3rd Now I only buy 50 gallons of fuel oil a month at current cost and make 150 gallons per month from used fryer oil at a price of .46 cents per gallon. I have always believed where there is a will there is a way. Chris Pena @ CPena58310@aol.com