GAO: Electric Cars Won't Reduce Carbon Emissions

HotAir.com ^ | July 10, 2009

[Arrowhead1952]

What’s the environmental impact of this disposal?

Think about the compact fluorescent light bulbs.

[Zeddicus]

Her argument was: "There are NO electric poles and wires on my street."

Seriously? Just... wow. You should have taken her outside, shown her her electric meter, and asked her what she thinks that's all about.

[steelyourfaith]

Thanx !

 

Beam me to Planet Gore !

[stayathomemom]

Yes! Every good Dem knows that!

[sr4402]

I would like to hear at least one feasible idea for replacing 2,000 billion kWh of electricity with even a combination of hydro, solar, and wind. That's before a few million people start plugging in their cars.

That's like asking for the moon. A change overnight for everybody. Yeah right. Government solution; usual results.

Better to start at the individual level and make it work there first. Better free of corporate and govenment entanglements and boxed-in thinking. As the technology becomes more available someone will figure it out. That person begins selling the solution locally to people who get exited about it.

The invention takes off like most of these do. When it catches on. Then the economies of scale and cheapness drive out the more expensive technologies. Let's see: Capture power and store it in the home. Use power from the Grid (and pay Obama's Taxes) when low. Notice, I didn't say Electricity and I didn't say Natural Gas, I said power. Transfer that power to appliances when needed.

Start Simple. Wind power to Lithium Batteries. After returning the vehicle to the garage, a guide in the garage floor positions the car such that the force of the vehicle. pushes out the old battery and plugs in the new one. The old battery goes to the Wind Power with Grid power backup for recharging.

Add a charger and power cord for emergencies. Current car using these batteries: Tesla Motors - approximately 200 Miles per charge.

Gain: No charging time from the Home. Step 2: Increase the Power storage capacity.

[!1776!]

That's like asking for the moon. A change overnight for everybody.

So is inferring that hydro, wind, and solar can provide power "easily." Fact is they can't.

Government solution; usual results.

I am in 100% agreement with you on that.

Better to start at the individual level and make it work there first.

I have no problem starting at the individual level, but without proper planning and infrastructure development, that individual level action has the potential to create chaos. A few thousand cars charing extra batteries in the off hours - blip on the energy radar. A few million - much different story.

Then the economies of scale and cheapness drive out the more expensive technologies.

Newer, better batteries are great - hope they keep coming and getting better. Doesn't really change the amount of power that is necessary to propel a car from point a to point b, just reduces inefficiencies.

I guess what I am trying to say is even if you make storage of this energy 10 x more effiecient but increase the demand for this energy by 1,000 x - you still have to make a lot more energy.

Capture power and store it in the home.

Where the power will come from is the issue.

Start Simple. Wind power to Lithium Batteries.

Start realistic - how do you get wind power to even 100,000 litium batteries that will power a car for 100 miles?

There is no such thing as a free lunch. Want to move a 1.5 ton vehicle 50 miles requires energy.

[Brad from Tennessee]

I don’t know where they get “fusion.” Here’s one closer to home:

http://earth2tech.com/2008/08/01/hyperions-nuclear-in-a-box-ready-by-2013/

[ridesthemiles]

What? Nonsense. Doesn’t electricity just magically come out of the wall?””

Sure it does!!!
Just like milk comes from Safeway....

[ridesthemiles]

Doesn’t electricity just magically come out of the wall? < /DUmmie mode>

I tried my best to explain that to a liberal. She was so dense, I finally gave up. Her neighborhood has underground utility wiring.

Her argument was: “There are NO electric poles and wires on my street.””

I am too disgusted to even ask what level of education this woman has.
IF she has college courses under her belt, what a colossal waste of money and time. She is beyond dumb. Someone else surely deserved to be in her college seat instead.

[Arrowhead1952]

Her argument was: “There are NO electric poles and wires on my street.””

She is beyond dumb. Someone else surely deserved to be in her college seat instead.

I'm sure she had a degree in basket weaving or dope smoking. You know the saying "Never argue with a fool because onlookers may not realize who the fool is." I just gave up on her. I wonder what she thought when she got her utility bill each month. You know the one that says "This is your electric bill".