When it comes to energy, I suppose we are all hypocrites at some point. I mean, look at Al Gore flying around in a private jet. Of course, Al Gore isn't exaclty going to come clean on his hypocrisy. But, that's because he wouldn't make millions on his powerpoints movies.

Anyway we here at energy-models.com are dishing out the dirt. Do you have a confession? Please comment!

This is what got us started: here's an interesting forum post we had from a very zealous but graciously honest energy-modeler:

I have to be 100% honest here. I have a very general lust for sports cars but more specifically for older American Muscle cars. If there were an AA group for Energy Engineers who secretly love fast, questionably efficient cars (or better stated, not at all), then I would have to go and come clean. What can I say? In my professional life I eat and breathe building efficiency every working minute. But when I get into a car all I wanna do is go fast and live that visceral experience of accelration and sweet sweet sound of red lining a V8 as the speedometer climbs.

What makes it worse is I should "know better." I work where we have millions of square feet of facilities with most approaching 50 years old. I'm the annoying guy constantly suggesting ECMs from small to large scale. I've likened my struggles at instituting energy change where I work to trying to steer the Titanic away from an iceberg with a canoe paddle. I once had a co-worker ask me, "so do you just leave your Birkenstocks and hemp clothing at home or what?" I'm the energy weenie.

And of course other co-workers have asked, "how can you justify your car given you're the Energy Engineer?" Short answer, I can't. I simply can't. (However my 5 year and 10 year total cost of ownership (TOC) is less than a fuel efficient $40k new car. The Chevy Volt is pretty close and gets help with it's $7,500 rebate but when you spend nearly have as much in upfront costs and given certain classic cars actually appreciate in value, well I digress.) It's my personal Jekyl and Hyde.

69 RS/SS Camaro, 396 big block (6.5L), 425+ HP (conservatively), 14 mpg/28 miles round trip. Future plans include (numerically) lower rear gear ratio (2.73:1), and either 4-speed Auto w/OD or 5-speed Manual w/OD. With OD tranny and highway gear ratio I hope to reach 20 mpg on the highway.