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Hybrid Vehicles Electric Vehicles Electric Vehicle Pros & Cons
1586 messages, Last post on Oct 23, 2009 at 4:19 PM
You are in the Electric Vehicles Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
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Replying to: 3745 (Aug 08, 2006 2:54 am) Somewhere someone will come up with a system that charges a battery or capacitor in someones garage using solar panels which the electric car can be plugged into at night.
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Replying to: snakeweasel (Aug 08, 2006 5:12 am) Fact of the matter is that solar power chargers do exist. Cell phone companies use them to charge their remote station batteries as one example. Solar panels are expensive to make and the manufacturing process is environmentaly dirty. It's also no good to plug into the solar charger at night. It's just not going to work! Bear in mind we are talking about millions of vehicle batteries that would have to be charged if and when a change to battery power took place. Super capacitors are an alternative to conventional batteries and at this moment you can buy super capacitor batteries for your flashlight. There are claims that they outperform standard rechargable flash light batteries and are much lighter. |
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Replying to: snakeweasel (Aug 08, 2006 5:12 am) Its already being done. Tesla Motors website states that they have an arrangement with solar installers to provide customers with this capability. If you live in a sunny climate like the desert Southwest this could be a very attractive way to go especially when the tax breaks are considered. While I'm sure the initial investment won't be cheap this represents something the individual can do to make himself energy independent. Expanding nuclear energy may be a good idea but it is something clearly outside your control.
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Replying to: tpe (Aug 08, 2006 5:55 am) Early on, Governor Arnold talked about a grand plan to put solar cells on all new houses. I haven't heard anything about that lately, so I don't know where it stands. Once PV cells get thin, and flexible (which the new ones are), and cheap, they make a lot of sense because they distribute the generation across the grid.
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THANKS! Well, THAT'LL certainly 'clean up' the other discussion.... 
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Replying to: prm2000 (Aug 08, 2006 6:34 am) Some of the current government subsidies for PV install are, IMO, somewhat misguided. The global demand for PV panels is far outstripping manufacturing capacity and these subsidies are only agravating the situation. The result is that over the last 2 years the cost per watt has actually increased. The positive side is that manufacturers are increasing capacity at a rapid pace but this might have occurred even with slightly lower subsidies. The comment that millions of EV owners charging their batteries is going to overtax the grid is unfounded. For one thing it will probably take at least 10 years for there to even be 1 million EVs on the road. Also, the people that operate our nation's electricity grid welcome these vehicles. I don't pretend to understand how this works but apparently it creates the potential for load levelling, which has a positive impact. Not to mention your vehicle can now be an emergency back-up power supply for your home.
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Replying to: tpe (Aug 08, 2006 1:25 pm) How are the PV systems being subsidized by the State? Also, are the PV systems being installed supposed to fill all of that homeowners needs (regular domestic use + EV) or just reduce daytime demand on the power grid. "Also, the people that operate our nation's electricity grid welcome these vehicles." I think I can understand this. Most recharging of EV's would occur at night. Typically, the demand to the system is currently much lower at night than during the day (when AC systems are running full blast, businesses are operating, etc.). Under the current system, the power plants are constantly cycling up during the day to meet the higher demands and then cycling back down to a reduced level to meet the lower nightime demands. Perhaps the plants don't operate as efficiently as they cycle up and down? Hadn't considered the possibility of using the EV as a back-up power supply for the house.
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Replying to: rorr (Aug 08, 2006 1:54 pm) One of the nice things about this program is that it is scheduled to be phased out over 10 years with the idea being that is the amount of time it will take for solar energy to be cost effective. Whether or not that ends up being the case it is positive to see government programs that aren't designed to last indefinitely.
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Replying to: tpe (Aug 08, 2006 2:05 pm)
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| Isn't there any plan in place (or being proposed) that would require the replacement (or clean up) of the old "dirty" coal plants? It seems that both the reduction of the use of gas and emissions are critical and need to occur quickly! | |
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