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One reason a lot of people have bought electric vehicles is because there has been a popular belief that they are better for the environment. However, that belief has recently been challenged as researchers claim electric cars are more harmful.
One study recently by the publication known as Environmental Science & Technology concluded electric vehicles may actually be more harmful than gas vehicles, at least in China, the most populated country in the world.
Christopher Cherry, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at University of Tennessee along with some of his colleagues concluded electric vehicles pollute the air more than gas vehicles because of how the electricity is generated. About 85 percent of China's electricity is created via fossil fuels, and about 95 percent of that is created via coal.
"The study emphasizes that electric vehicles are attractive if they are powered by a clean energy source," Cherry said to Eurekalert. "In China and elsewhere, it's important to focus on deploying electric vehicles in cities with cleaner electricity generation and focusing on improving emission controls in higher polluting power sectors."
Since not all of our electricity in the United States is produced the same way it is in China, it'd be interesting to hear how much better or worse people think electric cars are in America as opposed to China.
The Chinese government is still working to add more sources of electricity, and if that happens, electric cars could possible improve significantly.SIMILAR POSTS:
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Ecotricity founder Dale Vince said: "This is a further move by the Government to rig the energy market against renewables in favour of nuclear and gas".
The Government is rigging the energy market after its announced nuclear power would pay five times less than wind energy in community benefit.
Ministers announced yesterday that communities around eight sites (Hinkley Point, Sizewell, Wylfa, Oldbury, Sellafield, Bradwell, Heysham, and Hartlepool) in England and Wales could be in line to receive benefits - otherwise known as bribes - worth up to lb1000/MW over 40 years from when and if nuclear power stations sited there begin operating.
The founder of leading renewable energy supplier Ecotricity, Dale Vince, said: "This is a further move by the Government to rig the energy market against renewables in favour of nuclear and gas. Nuclear power is already being fast-tracked through the planning system and today they've announced nuclear will pay a fraction of the community benefit paid by wind power."
On July 6 the Government announced that onshore wind farms should pay lb5,000/MW in community benefit - an increase of five fold. At that time Mr Vince said: "Will we see the same logic being applied to the new generation of gas plants and nuclear power stations? This is a slippery slope."
Dr Doug Parr, Chief Scientist at Greenpeace UK, commented: "Whilst wind farms and even shale gas developers have to pay community benefits, only nuclear stations will get a fat taxpayer subsidy to fund them.
"Our entire energy policy is now absurdly distorted by the desperation to prop up EDF's faltering Hinkley C project, with the government piling the costs onto the taxpayer to avoid the embarrassment of admitting they backed the wrong technology. We can't go on like this."
Dale Vince added: "This shows the Government's approach to energy policy. Firstly, to fast-track planning for nuclear and gas; secondly, allowing nuclear to pay community benefit that's one fifth the cost burden of wind power; and thirdly, the new mechanism of financial support (Contracts for Difference), which it's widely believed will be two to three times higher for nuclear when compared to onshore wind.
"When you put those three parts together it shows an energy market being rigged. The Government shouldn't be picking winners in the energy industry, they should be providing a level playing field for competition. Are they really saying the impact of nuclear power in one fifth that of wind power?
"After 25 years, windmills are removed and the land returned to nature. The impact of nuclear power remains for hundreds of years and those sites will stay radioactive and never be safe."
The Government is clearly only thinking short term. What happens after 40 years is up and the site is radioactive?
Its motivation is the expected creation of employment, which it estimates as "up to 40,000 jobs in the sector" but crucially "at its peak", ie during the construction phase.
Its nuclear industrial strategy sets out the basis for a long-term partnership between government and industry to exploit those opportunities.
But communities hosting nuclear sites will be left with the toxic legacy long after these benefits have been forgotten.
Source: help-save-planet.blogspot.com
Developing countries are finding sustainable energy resources as a viable alternative to burning fossil fuels which are expensive and harmful to the environment. Five main renewable energy resources available to developing countries are solar energy, geothermal energy, biomass, hydropower and wind energy.
1. Solar Energy
Solar Energy is the harvesting of energy through the use of photovoltaic panels and can provide heat and energy to homes.
2. Geothermal Energy
Geothermal power plants are used to tap into reservoirs to gain access to steam or hot water underground which is used to power turbines to generate electricity.
3. Biomass
Biomass is organic material such as wood, manure and sugar cane used as a fuel source. Plants such as corn and sunflowers produce oils that are used to make biofuels which is an alternative to petroleum gas.
4. Hydropower
Hydropower or water power is generated by using the movement of water. Hydro plants consist of an electric plant, a dam and a reservoir. Three Gorges on the Yangtze River in China is one of the largest hydro plants in the world.
5. Wind Energy
Wind power is harnessed through the use of wind turbines which convert s the wind's energy into electricity.
