Comments on: Electric Vehicles – Getting The Plug-Ins Plugged In http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/11/electric-vehicles-%e2%80%93-getting-the-plug-ins-plugged-in/ Environmental Leader Fri, 25 May 2012 22:05:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Iain http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/11/electric-vehicles-%e2%80%93-getting-the-plug-ins-plugged-in/comment-page-1/#comment-154258 Iain Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:24:59 +0000 http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=21758#comment-154258 What a great topic to discuss! If solar panels were integrated into the body of the cars, when sitting in the sun all day, batteries are charging. Same for plug in stations, surrounded by solar and wind generators. If all the cars are connected at a charging station, can't the ones fully charged help charge the new arrivals? All it takes is free thinking and a little money... What a great topic to discuss! If solar panels were integrated into the body of the cars, when sitting in the sun all day, batteries are charging. Same for plug in stations, surrounded by solar and wind generators. If all the cars are connected at a charging station, can’t the ones fully charged help charge the new arrivals?
All it takes is free thinking and a little money…

]]> By: Allen Schaeffer http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/11/electric-vehicles-%e2%80%93-getting-the-plug-ins-plugged-in/comment-page-1/#comment-154120 Allen Schaeffer Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:26:33 +0000 http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=21758#comment-154120 While encouraging and upbeat, this piece glosses over the importance of the source and footprint of the power. Is it still upbeat if we haven't moved completely away from coal in the next 10 years, and are taking land for siting of new transmission lines and grid updates? The rapid progress of vehicle manufacturers in producing clean cars isn't the one main obstacle -- you can get some plug in cars today and more are developing. No way will electric plug ins predominate in 10 years. it is far more realistic that a mix of solutions will be in place, more EV's, renewable fueled gasoline and clean diesel engines, natural gas etc. And all of these will provide important incremental benefits to reducing imported oil and will have lower CO2. While encouraging and upbeat, this piece glosses over the importance of the source and footprint of the power. Is it still upbeat if we haven’t moved completely away from coal in the next 10 years, and are taking land for siting of new transmission lines and grid updates? The rapid progress of vehicle manufacturers in producing clean cars isn’t the one main obstacle — you can get some plug in cars today and more are developing. No way will electric plug ins predominate in 10 years. it is far more realistic that a mix of solutions will be in place, more EV’s, renewable fueled gasoline and clean diesel engines, natural gas etc. And all of these will provide important incremental benefits to reducing imported oil and will have lower CO2.

]]> By: pdq1966 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/11/electric-vehicles-%e2%80%93-getting-the-plug-ins-plugged-in/comment-page-1/#comment-154115 pdq1966 Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:10:08 +0000 http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=21758#comment-154115 I see a lot of promise for using vehicles as a means to store and utilize electrical energy from renewable sources such as wind and solar. The problems with these resources is that they could not be tailored to match the users demand. I believe Denmark was the first country to realize that installed capacity vs. yield for wind was a major issue for utility providers. They ended up selling much of their renewable energy to countries when they had a surplus and purchasing a fossil fuel supplement whey needed more. This caused their portfolio to show much less generated and used wind power then was installed. Using these vehicles as a means to store and re-transmit energy in a smart grid scenario is exactly what Amory Lovins spoke of in the early 90's. Even with all of this said, I don't believe that we will ever walk away from the internal combustion engine . Hybrid cars will always be more popular because transmission lines will never be available everywhere and liquid combustible fuels store much longer and can easily be taken to remote locations. I see a lot of promise for using vehicles as a means to store and utilize electrical energy from renewable sources such as wind and solar. The problems with these resources is that they could not be tailored to match the users demand. I believe Denmark was the first country to realize that installed capacity vs. yield for wind was a major issue for utility providers. They ended up selling much of their renewable energy to countries when they had a surplus and purchasing a fossil fuel supplement whey needed more. This caused their portfolio to show much less generated and used wind power then was installed.

Using these vehicles as a means to store and re-transmit energy in a smart grid scenario is exactly what Amory Lovins spoke of in the early 90′s.

Even with all of this said, I don’t believe that we will ever walk away from the internal combustion engine . Hybrid cars will always be more popular because transmission lines will never be available everywhere and liquid combustible fuels store much longer and can easily be taken to remote locations.

]]> By: Energy Saving http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/11/electric-vehicles-%e2%80%93-getting-the-plug-ins-plugged-in/comment-page-1/#comment-153836 Energy Saving Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:59:28 +0000 http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=21758#comment-153836 Let’s hope that the manufactures are able to overcome some of the obstacles that are associated with these cars. If not they will have to work on a suitable alternatives. Let’s hope that the manufactures are able to overcome some of the obstacles that are associated with these cars. If not they will have to work on a suitable alternatives.

]]>