<VV> VirtualVairs Digest, Vol 44, Issue 81

[Dale Dewald]

Hello Alan--great to have you back,

At 12:00 9/23/2008 -0400, you wrote:

>If you go to
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Sources_of_electricity_in_the_USA_2006.png
>
>you will see that 70.5% of US electricity is generated from fossil fuels
>(natural gas, oil and coal).
>
>As an aside the same figure for France is 9.5%:
>
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Sources_of_Electricity_in_France_in_2006.PNG
>
>This is an incredible difference and stems from the fact that, when
>environmentalists used to protest about nuclear energy in the 60s, the
>French government had the presence of mind to tell them where to get off,
>and to build its nuclear power plants anyway. Three Mile Island put paid to
>that in the USA.

Not to mention the movie The China Syndrome that was released here about 
the same time--a "perfect storm" of anti-nuclear sentiment, as it were.

I think part of the headstrong French "presence of mind" was formed when 
they realized  their true prospects for energy independence.  Correct me if 
I am wrong, but geology-wise, the French really had/have no oil to drill 
for nor coal to mine.  However, they did have a cozy relationship with the 
USSR, from which they could get an ample supply of uranium and technology 
[mostly stolen from the USA and UK}.  Therefore, they did what they had to 
do. Using breeder reactors and spent fuel reprocessing (both stupidly 
outlawed here in the USA) they have pretty much solved their energy 
independence issues.

>Given the above and the power losses inherent in electric cars compared with
>IC powered ones, how exactly is the Chevy Volt an improvement in
>CO2-generation terms over a Seat Arosa diesel or a VW Lupo diesel (both now
>sadly discontinued)...

A very good point.

The Chevy Volt will have a range of about 40 miles.  Nuts!!  This is only 
about double the range (though with greater comfort) than an electric car 
built 100 years ago.  Until there is a big breakthrough in electrical 
energy storage (think ultracapacitor), liquid hydrocarbons are going to be 
the most efficient and reliable source of transportation energy.  They may 
be refined from petroleum, distilled from biomass, converted from coal 
(Fischer-Tropps), or squeezed from oily plants; but no matter the source, 
we will still be filling our tanks with some form of gasoline, diesel or Jet-A.

Don't get me started about our EPA's deliberate campaign, disguised as 
emission regulations, to prevent the widespread sale of diesel-powered 
passenger cars in the USA...

>http://www.seatforum.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=57733
>
>...unless you live in France, in which case an Electrovair would be a better
>solution anyway because the car exists already and so you could avoid the
>large percentage of a car's lifetime ('wheel-to-well') carbon footprint that
>arises from the manufacturing process.

This is a point that seems to be incomprehensible to politicians and most 
eco-Marxists.

Dale