Quote:
Originally Posted by njboy
I used to think that the future of alternative energy is to use IC engines that run on hydrogen, biomass or natural gas. All of those fuels have the same problems as gas and that is because the IC engine is only about 20% efficient. One of the big arguments in support of electric cars is that electric motors are 85-90% efficient.
As for the stress on the power grid we are starting to see wind farms being developed and if we use more nuclear power we can still reduce CO2 production.
Another big advantage to electric cars is that it is far easier to produce electricity at home through solar and wind than to build a chem lab and make fuel. This will allow many to still move about during massive energy shortages which will eventually come.
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The efficiency of all combustion-driven rotating machines - IC engines, turbines, etc. - is in the 30% +/- range. That's why running cars using electricity generated by fossil fuel is an automatic energy loser, even without considering losses in the grid itself.
Adding nuclear, solar, and wind seem superficially attractive alternatives until the practical realities intrude of: a) having to use gas turbines with them to provide required grid reliability, and b) someone having to pay the higher costs of alternative power plants compared to fossil power plants.
The only sure way to lower fossil energy use and CO2 with electric cars, is to charge the batteries using as-available power output from non-fossil generators that are not connected to the grid.