Over at Gas2.org, Nick Chalmers just posted his report and included references on why Electric Cars are Better Even When "Fueled" with Coal.
The biggest problem seems to be - not the facts, but the argument itself!
Additional points not covered by Nick, include the facts that - with an internal Combustion Engine Vehicle - there is essentially no way for you go produce gas at your house, even if you have an oil well in your back yard, and - while many homes over the years have had coal stoves, I know of none that have had a coal powered generator 'on the farm', so to speak.
However - I do know of many solar powered, or solar assisted homes, that use Solar Energy in it's natural forms for heat - hot water and hot air, as well as in conversion systems, using PhotoVoltaic (PV) Panels, for their electrical needs. And - with Grid Tied Solar on your home, and an EV in your driveway - you are both replacing the electricity onto the grid during the day when it needs it most, and therefore reducing the need for coal powered Electricity, and using it from the Grid usually at night - to recharge your EV, when plants are otherwise poluting and the power is going to waste.
If your EV - had a 100 mile range only - and you reduced your commuting distance to 10 miles, you could charge up the car just once a week, yet putting Solar energy into the grid every day! As most homes are not designed primarily for energy efficiency - but for show - the option of a house built to be energy self supporting has not even occured to most buyers yet! Granite Counters, 'Satin Finish Hardwood Flooring' and Classy Carpet is more important! the Same $$ could be used to make the home not a load on the grid, but a supplier to the Grid, and reduce general living and operational costs of the home.
Of course - Nick mentions "An electric car runs off of a power source that can be made from a multitude of different things. From coal, to natural gas, to biomass, to wind, to solar, to wave, to nuclear, to hydro, to oil, to anything else that might come down the pipe in the future (fusion?). It’s “infinitely” dynamic. This does two things: it makes your energy supply more secure and it means your car just became infinitely more versatile. A gas car can only run off of gas or some other form of gas-like fuel." Which is the whole point of the Switch to EV's in the first place - versatility of energy sources!
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7 years ago
2 comments:
Being able to get energy from a number of sources is one of my favorite benefits of an electric car.
My property is shaded, skinny, and runs North and South - not exactly ideal for solar.
Howerver, I buy renewable electricity over the grid through a renewable energy program. My Electro-Metro runs off a combination of bio-gas and wind energy produced electricity.
If a North South Property is hard to get good Solcar Exposure - Imagine me - in a North side of a Apartment building running legthwise on an East-West Street! So that is why I am thingking of puttin solar panels actually on the cars roof - I own the car - but not the apartment!
I calculate - 4 x 15 watts (60 watts per good sun hour - will cover most of my vehicles needs for the drive to work, on avverage - and in the summer - I will have to use the car more to keep from wasting energy or overcharging the batteries!
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