[ausev] Where the energy comes from, was: Electric energy transfer and storage limitations

[Christopher Robison]

On Thu, 2007-05-17 at 12:50 -0500, Donovan Becker wrote:
> Totally agree with you on this point. Ev's are too dependent on one energy 
> source. I lived in MI when the power went out all over the northeastern part 
> of the country and we made up the western edge of that area. It was hell 
> enough with all the lights being out, but would of been exponentially worse 
> if our vehicles wouldn't have been able to run as well.

While not totally disregarding your experience, there's another way to
look at this, which I think should be heard.

In fact, of vehicles available today, electric, flex-fuel and
[non-DPF-equipped] diesel vehicles are the only vehicles available that
give you any sort of choice at all, for where your energy comes from. In
the case of diesel you can choose biodiesel or WVO/SVO; in the case of
flex fuel you can replace some of your gasoline with ethanol (though
there's debate on how much petroleum-derived energy was required to
create corn-derived ethanol, etc).

With EVs, you have a much wider choice, though not all choices may be
available or convenient for all people in the present day.  Solar, wind,
microhydro, even a fuel-burning generator for emergencies such as you
describe. 

If you can only fuel your car with petroleum products, you have
essentially no choice, except whether to buy from Texaco, Chevron, etc.
And ultimately, this is what you're choosing:

http://tinyurl.com/26nyws

(one of the best articles I've read on the subject of petroleum sources
and distribution)

I think to say that EVs are dependent on a single energy source is too
narrow a frame of reference on the use of electric power.

  --chris