Plug-in hybrids REDUCE emissions

[Dr Mordrid]

An argument arose over plug-in hybrids (PHEVs); would the savings at the car be offset by increased power plant emissions?

The results came back in a joint study published last week by often polar opposites the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Electric Power Research Institute:

they would reduce emissions. A lot.

The same study showed that the US power grid is more than sufficient to handle he load, confirming a DOE study published late last year.

Among study’s key findings:

* Widespread adoption of PHEVs can reduce GHG emissions from vehicles by more than 450 million metric tons annually in 2050 -- the equivalent to removing 82.5 million passenger cars from the road

* There is an abundant supply of electricity for transportation; a 60 percent U.S. market share for PHEVs would use 7 percent to 8 percent of grid-supplied electricity in 2050

* PHEVs can improve nationwide air quality and reduce petroleum consumption by 3 million to 4 million barrels per day in 2050

Bring 'em ON!!

I'd even favor a voucher system where low income families could exchange a licensed vehicle >8 years old for a hybrid vehicle. This would not only reduce emissions from (usually) under maintained smog machines but very likely improve safety.

Probably well worth the cost and it would likely piss off all the right people

[FatBastard]

"improvement" = less coal, more nuclear, wind etc.

"improvement" = The pollution goes out of the city center, and who said that nuclear is the only way to go? solel

in addition I don't see any problem with nuclear. the way I figure it its all about risk management, my generation, is going to live to see a world without oil. unless humanity finds a replacement billions will die. Billions. the earth will not sustain the ever growing population without a reliable, compact, affordable and abundant energy source (everything that oil is). many countries (especially in Europe and north America will not be livable (Millions will have to leave).

now if u build nuclear power plants, you risk ... evacuating vast areas and massive deaths. but its not millions. and not entire countries.

[Dr Mordrid]

now if u build nuclear power plants, you risk ... evacuating vast areas and massive deaths. but its not millions. and not entire countries.

You are aware that there are new reactor designs that will not melt down even if all the coolant leaks, and that the coolant can be a lighter-than-air gas like Helium?

[Brian Ellis]

now if u build nuclear power plants, you risk ... evacuating vast areas and massive deaths. but its not millions. and not entire countries.

Emotional claptrap! Modern reactor designs are inherently safe. Even in the event of meltdown, which is likely once in 180,000 years, according to a risk analysis, the EurPR has a refractory ceramic catch tray under the reactor.

The recent quake in Japan, where the ground cracked actually through the nuke station, and within a few metres of one of the reactors, there was no catastrophe. OK, a pipe carrying some low RA fluid burst, but the radiation leakage was probably less than what a coal-fired power station would emit in a week.

Far more people die as a result of coal fired power stations in one year than have died as a result of nuclear power stations since the first one went into service in 1948, and that's not counting the deaths of miners winning the fuel for them.

[Dr Mordrid]

Agreed! The anti-nuke crap being published about modern reactors is just that: crap.

[VJ]

Euhm, I got the impression FatBastard is also pro-nuclear... Even if the utmost worst scenario happens, it is better than the alternative.

But the study reaches an IMO logical conclusion. One powerplant can be more efficient and cleaner than many "powerplants" driving around. It is interesting to see that hybrids are finding their way into motorsports (didn't a hybrid car won a 24h race just recently?), and that the upcoming regulation in formula one requires that energy must be recovered (e.g. during braking). I think we are currently reaching the point where using such alternatives are giving a slight edge over competition; which in turn could cause alternatives to be researched properly.

Jörg

[FatBastard]

Euhm, I got the impression FatBastard is also pro-nuclear... Even if the utmost worst scenario happens, it is better than the alternative.