Canberra's electric cars to be powered by renewables

monomania said :

pajs said :

But does this Green Energy actually save carbon dioxide emissions? To do so ActewAGL will have to avoid buying an equivalent amount of electricity generated by coal fired stations causing them to burn less coal during the base load period or cause a gas fired power station not to be generating because ActewAGL is buying solar, wind or biogas or hydro.

And lets not mention the Hydro practice of generating electricity during the peak demand using Hydro, then during off peak using coal fired electricity to pump the water back up to the top reservoir using more dirty electricity than generated, but making a net gain in $$$$ for the Snowy Hydro company.

monomania said :

pajs said :

… The contract is for 100% accredited Green Power. That means that ActewAGL needs to self-generate, or purchase from other generators, that amount of accredited Green Power supplied to Better Place. Accredited Green Power in independently audited to ensure power sold through the network does come from appropriate renewable sources.

You can find out more about Better Place here http://australia.betterplace.com/the-solution

But does this Green Energy actually save carbon dioxide emissions? To do so ActewAGL will have to avoid buying an equivalent amount of electricity generated by coal fired stations causing them to burn less coal during the base load period or cause a gas fired power station not to be generating because ActewAGL is buying solar, wind or biogas or hydro.

Or, better yet, how do you tell if the electrons that are moving into the vehicle at the charge point are moving due to ‘green’ generation? ‘Cos, from what the networks folk suggest, that’s not how the grid works. Rather, it’s an ‘offset’-type arrangement: charge point delivers 14 buckets of energy from the ‘big electrickery well’ and the regional electrickery well administrator (in this case, Actew) buys 14 buckets of green energy to tip into the well (and buys 14 buckets fewer from Mister Dirty Stack). But, when it’s all said and done, it all essentially comes out of the same well. So, in effect, gazket is spot on.

I take a bit of issue with the battery switch point idea as well. I’ve been involved in the auto industry for a looooong time now and understand how it works. I simply can’t see how you will get all the world’s manufacturers to agree to a common set of engineering parameters to enable relatively generic equipment to automatically change batteries. Even within manufacturers, there’s never going to be just one battery to cover its entire model range. You’ll be driving around saying to yourself, “Nah . . . can’t switch there. Need to find a Toynissabishi Foilside compatable station that has the later-model halogen fluid testing apllication.” Just how many different types and specifications are there for spark plugs? For tyres? For brake pads? For shock absorbers? . . . QED.

pajs said :

… The contract is for 100% accredited Green Power. That means that ActewAGL needs to self-generate, or purchase from other generators, that amount of accredited Green Power supplied to Better Place. Accredited Green Power in independently audited to ensure power sold through the network does come from appropriate renewable sources.

You can find out more about Better Place here http://australia.betterplace.com/the-solution

But does this Green Energy actually save carbon dioxide emissions? To do so ActewAGL will have to avoid buying an equivalent amount of electricity generated by coal fired stations causing them to burn less coal during the base load period or cause a gas fired power station not to be generating because ActewAGL is buying solar, wind or biogas or hydro.

Gazket, you ask how they will know that the power used by Better Place’s electric vehicle fleet will come from Green Power. Better Place provide the network of charge points (among other things). They have a contract with an energy retailer for the electricity those charge points consume. This contract is with ActewAGL. The contract is for 100% accredited Green Power. That means that ActewAGL needs to self-generate, or purchase from other generators, that amount of accredited Green Power supplied to Better Place. Accredited Green Power in independently audited to ensure power sold through the network does come from appropriate renewable sources.

You can find out more about Better Place here http://australia.betterplace.com/the-solution

Classified said :

It’s early days yet. Give electric cars some time and they will develop as a product. Anyone remember what diesel passenger cars were like in the 1980s? Think about modern diesels now. The same kind of improvements will happen over time.

I remember. I was there! And, I can floridly remember a certain motoring magazine trumpeting how they’d driven a diesel vehicle (named after a game in which one chases a small white ball around a course with a selection of clubs) from Sydney to Melbourne on one tank of fuel (with plenty to spare).

And that lends a further clue to some of the challenges with electric vehicles. For instance, you can almost argue that diesel is a ‘drop in’ fuel. You can stick it in the market and it’s there and uses familiar and well established infrastructure, supported by familar and well established logistics. You can’t really say that about electricity in the context of powering vehicles (not even in the sense of charging at home).

Holditz said :

I look at this and think, this is why the rest of Australia hates us. We introduce all this wonderful touchy feely things, like human rights conforming prisons, plastic bag bans, or this electric car thing, and say we’re leading Australia. Meanwhile the rest of Australia look at us and say “it’s all right for you, you who work greasing the wheels of government, earning lots of money sitting on your bums and shuffling paper here and there, but we live in the real world.”

+1 The disconnect between Australia and Canberra is a chasm, particularly at the local government level – oops, I should have said state/territory level shouldn’t I. But I still like it here.

Mysteryman said :

Solidarity said :

I really, really hope they don’t try and sway people into electric cars. Conventional cars are still better for the environment.

How do you figure? I’ve heard this argument before, but it’s never been backed up by anything other than opinion.

If I hang on to my 20 year old car for another ten years (which runs on LPG only), that’s got to be better for the environment than buying a new electric car that will require the use of even more resources and goodness knows what to produce all those batteries.

I look at this and think, this is why the rest of Australia hates us. We introduce all this wonderful touchy feely things, like human rights conforming prisons, plastic bag bans, or this electric car thing, and say we’re leading Australia. Meanwhile the rest of Australia look at us and say “it’s all right for you, you who work greasing the wheels of government, earning lots of money sitting on your bums and shuffling paper here and there, but we live in the real world.”

Mr Corbell Diesel engined cars are more better for the environment.

unless there is a windmill or solar panel at the charging station how can they say the power comes from renewable sources. It will use power from a normal power station like everyone else does.
Another Labor and greens lie

Here we go again! Idiotic government/minority groups with their “environment” solutions via electric/hybrid cars that very few of them drive; listen up, fools! The Ford Fiesta Econetic achieves better economy with lesser emissions (via diesel) than a Prius or any other Hybrid! Oops, idiotic law makers; let’s listen to the normals for a change!!