Friday, October 18, 2013

EVs, SOLAR PANELS, and free lunch sophistries:

  • Squeaky clean green electrons from solar panels don't care whether they power an EV or a toaster oven. The virtue of green electrons, or the quantum of green if you will, arises from their creation. Once green electrons exist on the supply side of the equation, their use is irrelevant.
  • Electrons must be used or stored the instant they're created. So while EV and PV may work for vampires, they're a logistical nightmare for normal people drive their cars during the day and charge them from the grid during off-peak hours when demand and prices are lower.
  • While PV sales skyrocketed as status conscious consumers bought cute solar panels for their homes, the 794 GWh of electricity US solar systems generated in July is barely 2/10 of 1% of the 393,753 GWh of electricity the US consumed in July. PV is subsidy-distorted symbolism that contributes nothing to an electric grid where transmission and distribution losses average 7% nationwide.
  • On a planet with 7 billion inhabitants, every barrel of avoided oil use and every ton of avoided coal use in wealthy countries will simply increase supplies in poorer countries where another human being who has to choose between freezing in the dark or increasing his carbon footprint will pick his comfort over somebody else's climate concerns.