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Electric cars - more coal burned to supply electricity?


fmorriso

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We currently get over 50% of our electricity from coal.

 

No new nuclear plants have been built in decades.

 

President-elect Obama wants to put the coal industry out of business ("make it too expensive" to quote him accurately) by implementing a cap and trade program designed to make it virtually impossible to build any new coal fired electricity producing plants here in the USA.

 

The new car czar will have the power to order car manufacturers to produce more electric cars, regardless of whether the market (that's you and I) want them.

 

Where is the electricity needed to recharge all the new electric cars going to come from if it will be too expensive to build new plants to produce it?

 

How can we become energy independent if we are not going to use the two best ways to produce electricity?

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We have to be serious about providing clean power, or else the net effect will be negative. We have to do all the steps right: production and recycling of batteries, development of the electrical infrastructure exploiting all possibilities: hydro, wind, solar, tidal, nuclear, geothermal, and fossil (with fossil down on the totem pole) - I mean seriously - all of them. Or else it will be another half-ass wasted effort.

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From what I've read, many HPEV's feel the infastructure currently in place will hold up for the next couple decades. Being the HPEV will slowly be introduced to the market, so it's not like everyone will have one tomorrow. They've also spoken to the fact that they may end up requiring people to charge up during non-peak electricity hours, such as in the middle of the night, or they will be taxed excessively for charging during peak hours. Which kind of hurts those that work the graveyard shift.

 

So I don't think it'll be a big issue for years to come, but will agree something needs to be done before this time comes. Whether it's adding more solar, nuclear, coal, etc plants, when this time comes the extra energy will be needed.

 

How about this story that was on the news a little while back. I'm sure you heard about it.

 

http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/10/16/texas...a-10000-budget/

 

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=...article-6448736

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