[ausev] AusEV Digest, Vol 31, Issue 8

[Rob]

Joby,
 
I think the answer is the same as why we do EV conversions.  Many hard
problems are solved because a wide variety of people look for ways to solve
them.  We only remember about the winners.  Every EV conversion is a
innovation seed.  Every EV conversion is a drop of water in a wave of
innovation.  You pick the analogy... the point is that lots of people
thinking = break through.
 
If EVs were all basically the same (like ICE cars today) then that would be
a true waste!  I love seeing all the innovative ways that EV converters and
*new* car companies are trying to solve transportation.  If you like cars,
this is a great time to be playing!
 
OT PS: I don't think that there is any clear winner (e.g.: fission) for
power generation at this point.
 
Rob

-----Original Message-----
From: ausev-bounces at austinev.org [mailto:ausev-bounces at austinev.org] On
Behalf Of Joby Wieser
Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 7:10 PM
To: ausev at austinev.org
Subject: Re: [ausev] AusEV Digest, Vol 31, Issue 8



John, 


  


It's easy to say "We should develop alternative energy", but how do you
propose that would happen?   The PV industry has been working hard for that
cost /KW manufacturing breakthrough that would make solar cost effective for
40 years with very slow improvement.  The Wind farms only work in certain
areas and they are far far away from population centers which is why T Boone
wants the Feds to get into the transmission line business and even if he
gets it built there still has to be a conventional power plant idling on
line to back up the wing generation because sometimes the wind just stops
blowing like it did for an hour this last march which triggered a capacity
emergency that came very close to tripping off large interruptible
customers.  As Wind generation becomes a larger percentage of the total
generation mix this problem will increase without higher levels of spinning
reserve. 


  


The bottom line is that the only economic alternative to fossil fuels, Is
Fission fuel. Nuclear generation combined with an effective battery
technology allowing more people to use electric cars that would be charged
at night when demand is otherwise low is our best hope.  


  


Joby 



 


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