Thursday, 7 January 2016

34623km, 3258 litres of fuel NOT burned, 8466kg CO2 NOT polluted


Adis Cengic tweeted about his non-polluting electric car:


Tesla retweeted, @ which point, a nay-sayer chimed in:


Not sure what, “generate the power plants”, means, or how much CO2 (carbon dioxide) that would produce, but Adis Cengic tweeted again about the CO2 NOT produced by his electric car:


Norge (Norway,0 where Adis Cengic lives) has 98+% hydro electricity,1 plus some wind.2

Few places in the world are supplied by a grid with a carbon footprint as small as Norway. Running an EV on a substantially fossil-fired grid, the issues are quite complicated,3 but will still produce less CO2 than a fossil fueled car.4
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0  Wikipedia: “Norge”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norge


1  Hitchhikers Guide 2 Tech: “Nissan Leaf second generation”, http://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2014/04/nissan-leaf-2013.html


2  Wikepedia: “Renewable energy in Norway”,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy_in_Norway


3  HHG2Tech - Long: “Why does an electric car generate less carbon dioxide than a petrol powered one?”, http://hhg2t-long.blogspot.com.au/2011/06/why-does-electric-car-generate-less.html


4  Hitchhikers Guide 2 Tech: “Settled: electric vehicles are cleaner than their fossil-fuel-burning cousins”, http://hhg2tech.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/its-settled-electric-vehicles-are.html

/ Tesla Model S electric car charge recharge Supercharger LiIon lithium ion battery electric vehicle EV generates carbon dioxide CO2 pollutants internal combustion engine ICE coal burned generate electricity short answer long answer take into account all CO2 generated fuel mined pumped the rubber hits the road well to wheels accounting many jurisdictions significant fraction electricity generated non-fossil fuels energy used delivering petrol diesel fuel tank of an ICE exploration petroleum oil drilling transporting raw petroleum well head refinery refining raw petroleum fuel transporting fuel from refinery to vehicle long transportation distances transportation raw petroleum refining capacity countries USA raw petroleum imports enormous quantities feed demand coal typically requires little processing generation steam turbine power station crushing to a suitable size removal of dust transportation often virtually eliminated siting power station adjacent to a coal mine regenerative braking EV is driven ICE wasteful solution slowing moving vehicle throw the energy away radiating the kinetic energy stored in the moving vehicle heat through the brakes regenerative braking uses the electric motor in an EV generator convert kinetic energy electricity return it to the battery EVs are substantially off peak coal fired power does not throttle well run at a substantial fraction of its maximum capacity 24/7/365 electricity providers sell electricity cheaper off peak rate during some hours of the night EV charged significant carbon neutral element electricity used would otherwise be converted to heat in the grid car owner off peak rate electricity providers market energy off peak pricing often requires that devices be hard wired more aerodynamically efficient petrol powered EVs fitted with low rolling resistance tires EVs are an enabling technology renewable energy renewable energy supply often intermittent solar only when the Sun shines wind only when the wind blows development is in progress smart grid take power from the batteries of EVs renewable sources city's vehicle fleet electric storage batteries smart grid enable 100% renewable electricity EVs use zero fuel when stopped at lights in traffic ICE idles when stopped in traffic starting from cold ICE produces disproportionate pollution catalytic converter reaches operating temperature petrol powered vehicles run rich after a cold start EV less CO2 other pollutants the further it is driven renewable sources of electricity being installed round the world small amount of pollutants EV charged from grid will reduce over time more renewable generation capacity is installed ICE has a larger CO2 footprint the further it is driven as an ICE wears efficiency falls fuel consumption increases carbon footprint becomes bigger oil industry utilised sources of petroleum require more & more energy to produce offshore drilling Canadian oil sands tar sands USA oil shale source of fuel quantify one barrel of oil invested oil exploration drilling pumping produced 100 barrels 1970s one barrel invested produced about 25 barrels Jay Hanson barrel of oil natural gas petrol gas gasoline tar sand greenhouse gasses barrel of final production of conventional oil gasoline tar sands Toyota Prius carbon footprint General Motors Hummer Al Gore completely circumvent fossil fuel use buy green energy EV owner green electricity electricity provider installing renewable capacity EV owners EV Jay Hanson Bruce Pile Al Gore electric cars smart grid electric vehicles reduce greenhouse gas emissions /