combustible solutions
The day before the great filling station robbery occurred I was riding around with a videographer and a campaign staffer talking about issues and looking back at my life in and around Greensboro over the past 40 years. We were talking about my developing a plan for getting NC ready for the energy revolution that is looming .We noticed a car that was running on bio-diesel augmented with an onboard hydrogen generator. The ingenuity of the American citizen is limitless and the resourcefulness matches it. We have to reduce our consumption while practicing conservation until we find a domestic solution to our ravaging thirst for gasoline and internal combustion engines.
When elected I will work to ensure that solutions are rewarded and encouraged. I think in lieu of a $600 rebate check, everyone should have received a hydrogen generator and $400 to have it installed. This device will work with current combustible engine technology with minimal upfit and increase your fuel mileage up to two thirds. When elected I will champion the benefits of offering meaningful tax credits to citizens who install energy-saving devices in their home, businesses and vehicles. I will draft legislation to reward North Carolinians who seek solutions to our ” energy consumption crisis”
One reason North Carolina is falling behind with alternative energy solutions is the insatiable hunger for tax dollars of her General Assembly. I heard of someone who creates their own bio diesel that was stopped at a flea market by an official from the state who said the fuel in their tank had been determined to be home made. The person was fined $2000 for using untaxed fuel ! This issue was later taken up by a member of the Gen. Assembly and a bill was drafted to allow people to make their own bio fuels for their personal consumption with no penalty under law.
This was a move in the right direction and you know what they say about the road to hell? The final result of this bill was to make it legal to create your own fuel for personal consumption. The tax hungry part comes next. Under this law If you create enough extra fuel to be used by neighbors and sell it, there’s a per gallon tax upon it, unless you export it out of North Carolina. Bio diesel sold outside North Carolina is not subject to the same tax. Once again your tax dollars at work against you,this November you can change that.
In another example of the Gen. assembly sending our tax dollars outside of our state.North Carolina taxpayers spend about $5 million a year to fund research of alternative means of fuel for combustible engines and for other energy uses…research that occurs in states other than North Carolina. This money is also used in jobs creation in this alternative energy field, in states other than North Carolina. Read House resolution 329 to learn more about this effort to correct this, incidentally HR 329 primary sponsors are two Republican women.
Please understand that in N.C. the minority party is the Republican party ,if you want change then you should look to the peole who have been proposing new ideas but do not have the majority vote it takes to get these ideas turned into law. In other words if you are not happy about your state government,thank a Democrat,they have been in majority rule in NC for decades. I know,I know, I’m making party distinctions after saying ” issues transcend party lines” but this is as they say ” the fact of the business”.The discussion of bringing change to NC must begin with the root of the problem, a complete disregard of the needs and concerns of the lower and middle income families in our state by our out of touch majority.
I want to hear your ideas for solutions to our energy consumption crisis.
October 3rd, 2008 at 7:09 am
Thank you for caring about this topic; it is of utmost importance to all of us! I spent several months last year trying to find a family friendly vehicle that would seat six or more with storage room. I was determined to buy bio-diesel to support North Carolina farmers and our bio-diesel industry. I believe in local, sustainable practices. I soon found out why there are more proposed bio-diesel stations than actual ones: one simply can’t buy a reasonable diesel six passenger + in the US. Mercedes has a few VERY costly options, but I can’t justify spending 60K for a family vehicle. Those who say that the technology isn’t there are either ignorant or lying becuase the Dodge Sprinter (ice cream truck or shuttle van w/ seating for 10 and their luggage) is a diesel that gets at least 30 mpg on the highway. Of course, commercial vehicles don’t have the same restrctions as the ones Mommas drive.
Others will say that the US auto-makers’ diesel models that they sell all over the world won’t pass inspections here; however this can also be taken care of by encouraging the blu-tec clean burning diesel cars. VW and Nissan have blu-tec cars available and even Daimler Chrysler is considering it–not just Mercedes. In North Carolina, we should lead the way in offering tax incentives for blu-tec automobiles. We should also give incentives for stations to carry North Carolina bio-diesel–all of which should not be taxed. We need to create a name brand for our “local” bio-diesel and create a demand by making companies offer affordable clean blu-tec type diesel alternatives at the dealerships.
Yes, there are wonderful technologies on the horizon, but clean diesel is doable now! Also, we can pass laws about miles per gallon. We don’t have to wait until the year 2020 like the US government. Want to sell cars in North Carolina? How about increasing the minumums for vehicles sold here 5mpg every year in each class–beginning with the median?
I am driving a 2008 Toyota All-Wheel Drive Minivan (I am in the mountains). It is a gas guzzler, but it is the only AWD minivan on the market. Toyota makes a diesel mini-van for the rest of the world. We need one here too. I am happy to buy American as well, but they don’t have what I’m looking for either. We need choices of vehicles before we can support our farmers at the pump. The technology is here. It needs to be required,and we need incentives so it is desireable financially for everyone.
Please send a link, so I can consider adding this hydrogen generator to my gas guzzler. Can I use it with my jogging stroller and car seats in the minivan? How doable is this?
If you are elected, pass this on to Joe Sam Queen–my state senator (who I am voting for as an independent), perhaps, y’all can do some bi-partisan legislation. Thank you again!