Scientists from the Electric Power Research Institute -- a nonprofit think tank funded mainly by electric utilities -- and the Natural Resources Defense Council used computer models to simulate what would happen to emissions. They tested different scenarios based on how quickly Americans embraced the new hybrids and what type of energy -- clean or dirty -- was used by utilities.
The study found that if 60 percent of Americans shifted to plug-in hybrids by 2050, it would lead to an increase in electricity usage of 7 to 8 percent -- a relatively small increase, indicating that hybrids would not necessarily require a surge of new power plant construction. Plug-in hybrids are charged mostly at night, when demand for electricity is low.
At the same time, the report estimates that electric hybrids would displace the need for 3 million to 4 million barrels of oil per day by 2050, more than twice what the United States imports each day from Saudi Arabia.
Researchers also found that plug-in hybrids reduced greenhouse gases no matter what energy source was used to produce the electricity, whether coal, nuclear, hydroelectric, wind or solar. Electric hybrids generated 40 to 65 percent less greenhouse gas than gas-fueled vehicles and 7 to 46 percent less than conventional hybrids.
The article (and the report it references) goes on to point out that while there would be an increase in particulate emissions from increased coal-fired plant output, this can be mitigated with well-applied regulation. (BTW, we already have the capability to filter the increased particulate, but thanks to the, ahem, "Clean Air Act", have allowed power plants to evade those regulations.) Additionally, it's much easier to regulate/upgrade/check the output of hundreds (thousands?) of massive power plants than it is to regulate/upgrade/check the output of millions and millions of tailpipes.
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sforzinda
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Date: 2007-07-26 03:43 am (UTC)http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/07/20/MNGT7R3OH81.DTL
Scientists from the Electric Power Research Institute -- a nonprofit think tank funded mainly by electric utilities -- and the Natural Resources Defense Council used computer models to simulate what would happen to emissions. They tested different scenarios based on how quickly Americans embraced the new hybrids and what type of energy -- clean or dirty -- was used by utilities.
The study found that if 60 percent of Americans shifted to plug-in hybrids by 2050, it would lead to an increase in electricity usage of 7 to 8 percent -- a relatively small increase, indicating that hybrids would not necessarily require a surge of new power plant construction. Plug-in hybrids are charged mostly at night, when demand for electricity is low.
At the same time, the report estimates that electric hybrids would displace the need for 3 million to 4 million barrels of oil per day by 2050, more than twice what the United States imports each day from Saudi Arabia.
Researchers also found that plug-in hybrids reduced greenhouse gases no matter what energy source was used to produce the electricity, whether coal, nuclear, hydroelectric, wind or solar. Electric hybrids generated 40 to 65 percent less greenhouse gas than gas-fueled vehicles and 7 to 46 percent less than conventional hybrids.
The article (and the report it references) goes on to point out that while there would be an increase in particulate emissions from increased coal-fired plant output, this can be mitigated with well-applied regulation. (BTW, we already have the capability to filter the increased particulate, but thanks to the, ahem, "Clean Air Act", have allowed power plants to evade those regulations.) Additionally, it's much easier to regulate/upgrade/check the output of hundreds (thousands?) of massive power plants than it is to regulate/upgrade/check the output of millions and millions of tailpipes.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-26 07:52 pm (UTC)