this post was submitted on 15 Oct 2024
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In what world don't they count?
They can power EVs. And running an EV on fossil fuel electricity is still far less polluting than running a petrol or diesel car.
One large generator at its most efficient setting is far more efficient than tens of thousands of small ones starting from cold multiple times per day, that aren't necessarily maintained well, and are constantly going through their rev range.
Where are your sources for any of what you're saying?
No , if you run EVs off a grid fossil fuel generator, that's the difference between 33% and 40% efficient. It's not enough to move the needle. It doesn't even pay for itself in terms of emissions.
The energy source absolutely has to be ZERO emissions as well. If not then it's just climate cope.
What the hell are you talking about? That's not how people charge EVs.
EVs on their own are typically 90%+ efficient. Although some are as low as ~85%.
Even running on a generator, though, they'd still be more efficient than any ICE engine found in a car, aside from a Formula 1 engine.
EVs are far cleaner, even if ran on a fossil fuel energy grid.
fossil fuel power plant are tops 40% efficient while ice powered cars are around 33%.
If you power you EV off a fossil fuel power plant, then that difference, minus the grid losses, the charging losses and then the inverter and motor losses, is how much co2 emissions you are saving.
Of course that's assuming your driving habits don't change, with that high upfront investment and relatively lower per mile costs compared to using gasoline.
And that's not to mention the one time emission from the production of that EV amortised on its 15 year hoped-for lifetime.
Beside capturing government subsidies and the arbitrage saving from using temporarily cheaper electricity as fuel, I don't see EVs making much sense either from an economic or a saving the planet standpoint.
Without a zero emission energy production as the source, EVs don't make sense beyond hype and cope.
All fossil fuel electrical generation, and that includes natural gas, has to be shutdown. Or else it will not make a lick of difference.