I have been meaning to ask this question for quite a while, but only
until now have I finally come around to it.
A main benefit to EVs, of course, is that there are zero emissions.
The car itself produces no emissions. And of course there is always
the question of the power plant. I'm sure many people have seen this:
http://www.pnl.gov/energy/eed/etd/pdfs/phev_feasibility_analysis_combined.pdf
This study, to me, seems realistic. EVs, as us EV enthusiasts expect,
shows that electrics overall produce less pollution than a gasoline
powered car. However, b/c of those nasty coal plants, SOx are through
the roof, and NOx are slightly higher. NOx is a potent GHG
(http://www.epa.gov/nonco2/econ-inv/international.html
http://www.epa.gov/nonco2/econ-inv/table.html) Does anyone,
particularly Bill Dube, know anything about just how problematic an
increase of NOx would be?
Second, again due to coal, SOx emissions would/could be much, much
higher. SOx, I believe, is a major air pollutant, correct? Power
plants are far away from any communities, but wouldn't the SOx
eventually mitigate itself through cities? Obviously, because it came
from far away, it would be in less concentrations, but still, just b/c
the SOx isn't harming us, I'm sure it's harming something out there in
the environment. (Acid rain rings a bell)
Is SOx broken down or split apart naturally, so that when it comes
spewing about into the air it splits apart and combines with something
else, becoming harmless?
Another interesting thing: electrical transmission/distribution and
the production of semiconductors produces a good chunk of highly
potent GHG. Does anyone have anything to say about this?
I'm not trying to shoot down EVs, they still have many environmental,
political, and possibly economical benefits. I am a full-fledged
supporter of EVs. I'm not trying to suggest that global warming is
real or not, so let's please not turn this into an argument about
global warming...or especially about politics!
I also have some quick questions about the study I linked to above. Do
the emissions of the gas car include the emissions of the production
of gasoline? The study displays the "Power Generation Composition" as
two parts: natural gas and coal. Does the study include the entire
electrical grid, or just these two sources? What emission rating of
the gas car are they comparing the EV to? I e-mailed the people
before, but never got a response.
I hope my post sparks an interesting discussion.
_______________________________________________
For subscription options, see
http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev
until now have I finally come around to it.
A main benefit to EVs, of course, is that there are zero emissions.
The car itself produces no emissions. And of course there is always
the question of the power plant. I'm sure many people have seen this:
http://www.pnl.gov/energy/eed/etd/pdfs/phev_feasibility_analysis_combined.pdf
This study, to me, seems realistic. EVs, as us EV enthusiasts expect,
shows that electrics overall produce less pollution than a gasoline
powered car. However, b/c of those nasty coal plants, SOx are through
the roof, and NOx are slightly higher. NOx is a potent GHG
(http://www.epa.gov/nonco2/econ-inv/international.html
http://www.epa.gov/nonco2/econ-inv/table.html) Does anyone,
particularly Bill Dube, know anything about just how problematic an
increase of NOx would be?
Second, again due to coal, SOx emissions would/could be much, much
higher. SOx, I believe, is a major air pollutant, correct? Power
plants are far away from any communities, but wouldn't the SOx
eventually mitigate itself through cities? Obviously, because it came
from far away, it would be in less concentrations, but still, just b/c
the SOx isn't harming us, I'm sure it's harming something out there in
the environment. (Acid rain rings a bell)
Is SOx broken down or split apart naturally, so that when it comes
spewing about into the air it splits apart and combines with something
else, becoming harmless?
Another interesting thing: electrical transmission/distribution and
the production of semiconductors produces a good chunk of highly
potent GHG. Does anyone have anything to say about this?
I'm not trying to shoot down EVs, they still have many environmental,
political, and possibly economical benefits. I am a full-fledged
supporter of EVs. I'm not trying to suggest that global warming is
real or not, so let's please not turn this into an argument about
global warming...or especially about politics!
I also have some quick questions about the study I linked to above. Do
the emissions of the gas car include the emissions of the production
of gasoline? The study displays the "Power Generation Composition" as
two parts: natural gas and coal. Does the study include the entire
electrical grid, or just these two sources? What emission rating of
the gas car are they comparing the EV to? I e-mailed the people
before, but never got a response.
I hope my post sparks an interesting discussion.
_______________________________________________
For subscription options, see
http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev
