Just the beginning, like it or not

[ctfjr]

Deere & Co. plans to launch a new fertilizer technology and an electric excavator to help customers be more productive and sustainable.
The equipment company announced the new technologies during its keynote address at the CES 2023 event on Thursday.

Deere said its ExactShot technology uses sensors and robotics to place starter fertilizer on seeds as they are planted in the soil. This should help farmers reduce the amount of starter fertilizer needed during planting by more than 60%, the company said.

The electric excavator is designed to provide construction workers and road builders with lower daily operating costs, reduced jobsite noise, zero emissions and enhanced machine reliability, Deere said.

 

[DaveFromMi]

Sounds like a slow motion train wreck that we are forced to watch.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

well they are a 'green' company.........

as for the battery powered excavator...
hahahahaha....
let's SEE one in the REAL WORLD and SEE what it costs to recharge the batteries !

 

[motionclone]

We're sorry, due to a high demand on the power grid, all construction equipment recharging will be forbidden and disabled this month as we prioritize other economic sectors to use the grid. Sorry for any inconvenience.
-Department of Energy Distribution, Ministry of Plenty.

 

[Sparky Prep]

We're sorry, due to a high demand on the power grid, all construction equipment recharging will be forbidden and disabled this month as we prioritize other economic sectors to use the grid. Sorry for any inconvenience.
-Department of Energy Distribution, Ministry of Plenty.

The government will just be able to shut everything off by remote control. There will be no need to inform the public of anything. They will just do it, whether we like it or not.

 

[Old_Paint]

well they are a 'green' company.........

as for the battery powered excavator...
hahahahaha....
let's SEE one in the REAL WORLD and SEE what it costs to recharge the batteries !

Ya know, those last three words seem to be the part that everyone in favor of an all EV world seem to forget. So many of them have no clue that power/energy costs money, whether dino juice or electro-juice. While the price at the gas pump may indeed be incentive to reduce the number of small engines on things like lawn mowers and go-carts, I can't see it being a viable option for enormous farms that depend on diesel power to move their equipment.

 

[Sparky Prep]

Ya know, those last three words seem to be the part that everyone in favor of an all EV world seem to forget. So many of them have no clue that power/energy costs money, whether dino juice or electro-juice. While the price at the gas pump may indeed be incentive to reduce the number of small engines on things like lawn mowers and go-carts, I can't see it being a viable option for enormous farms that depend on diesel power to move their equipment.

And, the more power people need to recharge their stuff, the more the power company will charge $$$$ for that power. (I work for the power company).

 

[motionclone]

A small Fussion Reactor electric generator on every farm would be good

 

[Old_Paint]

And, the more power people need to recharge their stuff, the more the power company will charge $$$$ for that power. (I work for the power company).

Just wait until they're the only ones permitted to burn fossil fuels.......

 

[trueg50]

A whole Lotta guys with closed minds.

Electric excavators aren't competing with 200hp units, and aren't being made for markets that don't exist. Lots of jobsites can't have ICE running due to vapor or exhaust issues. A baby electric excavator can drive through a doorway and do demo/digging work.

 

[lynnmor]

Most construction sites have electricity available so I guess they can recharge the expensive batteries half the time and work the other half. Just need to buy twice as many excavators.

 

[trueg50]

Most construction sites have electricity available so I guess they can recharge the expensive batteries half the time and work the other half. Just need to buy twice as many excavators.

I think hydrogen will eventually take over diesel, but for electric there are niches they will likely fill where the strengths of electric make them attractive. Part of small pilot runs is to just get products out there and for people to find uses.

 

[lynnmor]

I think hydrogen will eventually take over diesel, but for electric there are niches they will likely fill where the strengths of electric make them attractive. Part of small pilot runs is to just get products out there and for people to find uses.

Since many large projects have some degree of government involvement, I can see mandates for the battery powered equipment and Deere will cash in on that?

 

[Mark_BX25D]

A small Fussion Reactor electric generator on every farm would be good

If fusion were viable, it wouldn't be small, and we have been promised fusion power for a few decades now. It's always just a few decades away..... away.... away.....

 

[motionclone]

If fusion were viable, it wouldn't be small,

Im sure they said the same about computers.

Lockheed is working on a truck sized fusion powerplant :

Compact Fusion

Discover our revolutionary approach to nuclear fusion, leveraging compact design and rapid development cycles to harness powerful energy comparable to the sun.

www.lockheedmartin.com

 

[Kurtee]

I am waiting for the "green" military stuff. Sorry sir we gotta charge the tank before we do battle.

 

[jimh406]

A whole Lotta guys with closed minds.

I don't see it that way. It's just that some of us think about all of the problems that have to be solved. And ... realize green isn't so green. Thinking green doesn't make you more open minded. I'd argue pushing to convert to "green energy" at all costs is actually close minded.

Fossil fuels produces CO2, a naturally occurring substance. Green energy chemicals, glues, and batteries produces toxic waste products. Not to mention who we are buying the core products from instead of simply using the resources we have here.

There there is the stress on the power grid that can't keep up as it is. Changing to a different type of power doesn't make the amount of earth resources go up.

The green part is the people getting rich by convincing people that green energy is better for the environment.

 

[Mark_BX25D]

Im sure they said the same about computers.

No, actually, the people in the field envisioned small computers form the earliest days. Not everyone, but a lot of people. Not quite as small as we actually have, but personal computers were being talked about long before they could be built.

Lockheed is working on a truck sized fusion powerplant :

Compact Fusion

Discover our revolutionary approach to nuclear fusion, leveraging compact design and rapid development cycles to harness powerful energy comparable to the sun.

www.lockheedmartin.com

A concept is not a project. They haven't got big fusion anywhere close to working yet, let alone commercially viable.

They've been saying, "just a few decades away" for a few decades now, and they are still saying, "a few decades away". Small fusion is orders of magnitude more difficult, if it can be done at all. It's probably on the order of terraforming - a nice sci-fi concept, but it's not going to happen.

Most of what you read is fluff pieces intended to separate investors from their money, or "word count" pieces intended to earn an author some money.

There are always glorious predictions of the wonders of the future, but most of it never happens, because it was never based in reality. And there are always people pointing out obvious problems with the predictions, and being called, "closed minded" by people who don't understand the fundamentals.

 

[mikester]

well they are a 'green' company.........

as for the battery powered excavator...
hahahahaha....
let's SEE one in the REAL WORLD and SEE what it costs to recharge the batteries !

On the plus side government employees will have an excuse for standing around waiting for the batteries to re-charge. Shorter work shifts too.

 

[Kurtee]

On the plus side government employees will have an excuse for standing around waiting for the batteries to re-charge. Shorter work shifts too.

There ya go. That will sell more of the special T shirts with the pocket sewn on upside down. Lets em lean on the shovel without holding it. Good for all kinds of workers.