The Desert Energy Project
03.02.2010: Electricity giant EWE calls for subsidies [1]
The German electricity corporation calls for heavy subsidies for the installation of charging stations and subsidies for the electric car, otherwise these cars would be build elsewhere.
Ewe stresses that France grants 5 000 Euro and tax reductions for every electric car which is sold. Great Britain, Denmark and Portugal similar high subsidies for electric cars.
To build 1,5 million charging stations the German government will have to invest up to 5 billion Euro, according to McKinsey. One recharging place will cost between 2 000 and 4 000 Euro. These cost must be paid by the electricity consumer and the connection with the grid might be paid by revenues of the delivered electricity.
The batteries double the car price. The range is too small. Electro cars are not friendly for the environment as they depend on fossil fuel power plants or nuclear power plants without nuclear waste storage solution.
The hydrogen car will be the future of the car industry.
[1] Versorger verlangen Zuschüsse für Elektroautos. Handelsblatt. 03.02.2009.
http://www.handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/industrie/subventionsforderung-versorger-verlangen-zuschuesse-fuer-elektroautos;2522835;0
22.02.2009: Hydrogen combustion engines the best solution for the coming automobil technology [1] [2]
Verhest compared the hydrogen fuelled internal combustion engines with fuel cells and found that both have their own advantages, however the hydrogen fuelled internal combustion engine can function as a transition technology which is an advantage compared with the fuel cell sistem.
The author stresses that the only additional cost of hydrogen fuelled internal combustion engines is the cost of additional H2 injectors, a
modified engine control unit and possibly some changes to the ignition and crankcase ventilation system.
In his study Verhelst presents extensive researche data on hydrogen combustion engines and describes the engine already on market. [2]
According to Verhelst hydrogen engines can be introduced relatively easily, from a technological as well as from an economic point of view and present the advantage of using hydrogen as well as gasoline what makes it best equipped for the implementation of a hydrogen infrastructure. Compared with a limited range ot battery driven cars, the hydrogen combistion version will lead the future car production.
Emission of greehouse gases from cars make up 24% of total US emission [3]
According to US EPA the emissions of greenhouse gases from on-road vehicles regulated by section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act contribute to the climate change problem. These sources are responsible for 24 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, and more than 4 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions.
[1] Universiteit Gent: Flow, Heat and Combustion Mechanics: Internal combustion engines versus fuel cells
http://www.floheacom.ugent.be/Transport/transp_h2_en.htm
[2] Sebastian Verhelst: A Study of the Combustion in Hydrogen-Fuelled Internal Combustion Engines. 2004-2005 University of Gent.
https://biblio.ugent.be/input?func=downloadFile&fileOId=490048
[3] EPA: Overview of EPA’s Proposed Endangerment and Cause or Contribute Findings for Greenhouse Gases under the Clean Air Act. April 17, 2009.
http://epa.gov/climatechange/endangerment/downloads/Determination.pdf
13.01.2009:UK will spend £100m for ultra-green cars [1]
UK Government, in a desperate attempt to overcome depression, started a £100m program to boost the green-car market. The UK Department for Transport announced a £20m programme to buy electric and low-carbon vans. Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Citroen, Ashwoods, Land Rover, Modec, Smith Electric Vehicles, LDV, Nissan and Allied Vehicles have been shortlisted for this action. This new programme was started to kick-start the market using the UK government spending power to develop lower-carbon options.
The program includes £10m to encourage manufacturers to develop electric and ultra-low carbon vehicles (under 50gram CO2/km); and a £20m investment in research aimed at making green cars more practical and affordable.
High costs of electrocars and plug-in hybrids Electric Vehicles (PHEV) [2]
A NiCd Nickel-Cadmium battery, with a 5 years life, costs 15.000 Euro.
According to Kammen and colleagues 2008 PHEV adoption will depend on reduction of the price of batteries from $1,300 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to about or below $500/kWh, or U.S. gasoline prices must remain at about $5 per gallon. Very low greenhouse gas emission electricity must be used to power them. The authors stress that any carbon price would have to exceed $100/t-CO2-eq in order to render PHEVs' reductions cost-effective.
Electric-car test 15 years ago [3]
VW, Mercedes and BMW recently announced field tests for electro-cars. Fifteen years ago these test ended up in the drawer. Professor Christian Voy, was in charge of the field test of electro-cars at the German island Rügen in the mid-nineties. This test was sponsored by environment Minister Angela Merkel with 22 Million DM and 38 million by the participating companies VW, Mercedes, BMW and Opel.
According to Voy, in this test and even nowadys batteries are not the problem. The electronic devices and the electric motor were not developed to be used in cars. In an article of Spiegel Online he says that a pure electro-car cannot replace petrol or diesel driven car across the whole area. In overcrowded areas, however, electric-cars are useful and provide advantage for all.
http://www.spiegel.de/auto/aktuell/0,1518,595808,00.html
[1] Ultra-green cars get boost in the UK
http://www.ukinvest.gov.uk/Feature/4041185/nl-BE.html?print=true
[2] Kammen, Daniel M., Arons, Samuel M, Lemoine, Derek and Hummel, Holmes,Cost-Effectiveness of Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions from Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles(November 1, 2008). Goldman School of Public Policy Working Paper No. GSPP08-014. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1307101
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1307101
[3] Spiegel Online: Zurück in die Elektroauto-Zukunft. Blackout auf Rügen. 21.12.2008
http://www.spiegel.de/auto/aktuell/0,1518,595808,00.html