--- In [email protected], [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > In a message dated 7/3/06 12:30:25 P.M. Central Daylight Time, > [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > By the way, did you know we could have had electric cars, like ten > years ago; > The technology is there, > Unfornately it would put filling stations and repair stations out of > business, you see; > Because an electric car won't need as many repairs at all. > And you plug it in your wall at home; so the Saudi/Bush group > > > Where is all of this electricity going to come from? Did you know that an > enormous amount of electricity is lost, in thin air, just in the transmission > from power station along the power line grid, before anybody uses it?
I would not characterize 7% or so (typical transmission losses in an electrical grid) as "enormous". The efficiencies of energy production (more kwh per unit of energy) (as well as pollution control) is much higher in large scale plants compared to a car engine and make up for such transmission losses a number of times over. > If we > weren't burning the oil in our cars as gasoline, we would be burning it to > generate electricity to charge those cars up at night. Ha. Good one. Oil is used in less than 2-3% of electrical generation in the US (and most elsewhere) -- mostly for small peaking units used when demand is highest 10-50 hours a year. > Too bad we don't have more > nuclear power plants to generate electricity. Its about 20%. Waste disposal for the 100,000 year half life has not has dolved, nor the security of transportation and storge against terrorist highjackings of the material. And the history of nuclear had been a cost disaster. In California, the cost has been so high compared to other generation sources its a joke -- and a number of plants have been retired early (Songs 1 and 2, Rancno Cordova, etc.) Diablo Canyon, the last great behemouth in California, has such a history of incredibly high costs per kwh, its laughably -- but sad for ratepayers . Nuclear does have the lowest fuel costs of any major generation (except hydro, solar, wind, etc), but huge capital, operational and safety costs. On the other hand the nuke industry says THIS time they really do have very cost-competitive untis. If so, let them compete instead of asking for govt subsidies. And pay the full cost of externalities for storage and insurance against terrorist theft. (Unsurmountably high -- and don't ask for exclusions. Pay the costs if its cost effective.) If electric cars were deemed most desirable, it would take 20 years + to change out the current fleet. Enough time to build new electrical generation. And much of the unused capacity of current generators at nightime could be used, with no new construction. About 30-40% etra national generation simply by running plants fully at night and weekends. Perhaps a more electric hybrid is the ticket. Can run on charge at night from power company, at low off-peak rates -- and would be good for most around town trips. Shifts into fuel/hybrid mode 40 mpg + on longer trips. Hopefully with bio fuels. We could have had all of this right now, essentially for free if we had wise energy policies going back 20-30 years. A fuel tax (10 cents / year cumulative -- $3 now) reinvested in research and jump starting demand / economies of scale for low cost batteries, hybrid tech, bio fuels, etc. would have paid for it self, keeping world oil prices lower, greatly decreasing or eliminating US need for foreign oil, and reducing all of the other external -- aka externality costs that burning oil causes -- national security, health, pollution, global climate change, etc. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Yahoo! Groups gets a make over. See the new email design. http://us.click.yahoo.com/XISQkA/lOaOAA/yQLSAA/UlWolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
