EV's... Rolling Blackouts in 115 F. Heat

[eds21]

Normal price for a megawatt of electricity for purchase by the utilities is around $30. This past five days with the Western US in excessive heat warnings the price is $300/megawatt.

last year when temps got hot and CA had rolling brown outs the price was $1000 per megawatt. Same prices when Texas froze last Winter.

Actually when Texas froze in February the price went to $9000 per megawatt and stayed there for 4 days!

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[bd377103]

Anyone else find it ironic that the OP used a record heat wave scenario to justify the further development and use of ICE? smh...

 

[NvrFinished]

So this will all get better as more and more folks plug in their new electric vehicles... right? Infrastructure, you know it's a top priority.. right?

California Residents Urged to Conserve Power Amid Heat Wave

I know a guy who lives in Arizona. He said it was 115 F yesterday. Probably a few of you folks here stewing in your own juices from that too.

What happens when your electricity goes out and the air conditioning in your house therefore won't run... and neither will the air conditioning in your car / truck because your car is electric too?

There's an old adage about having all your eggs in one basket that applies here...

I guess you don't understand. Going all green power and switching to EV's is the only moral and correct way to move forward. It just feels good doing so. And if it feels good and seems morally superior, then all facts that try to point out the reasons why it's not the smart thing to do are obviously wrong and contrived.

Don't worry though, I will get you caught up to speed in the way you are supposed to think....

 

[HenryMac]

I guess you don't understand. Going all green power and switching to EV's is the only moral and correct way to move forward. It just feels good doing so. And if it feels good and seems morally superior, then all facts that try to point out the reasons why it's not the smart thing to do are obviously wrong and contrived.

Don't worry though, I will get you caught up to speed in the way you are supposed to think....

Sure seems to be the case anymore. First we have to pass the bill, to see what's in the bill.

 

[AzScorpion]

I laugh when one of the other smaller states rip on ours. We are the fifth largest economy on the planet. Our more stringent auto emission standards drive policy through out the US. In reality we set the pace and others just try and keep up. Are we perfect? It's far from perfect. It's a work in progress. I remember the terrible air of the 60s and 70s. The mismanagement has cleaned it up. My children only get a hint of how bad it was when an older car drives down the road. It's going to get better too even if we have to drag the rest of you kicking and screaming into the future.

rant off.

Um, Without getting political I was talking about your government that was mismanaged. I will leave it at that! ?

 

[HenryMac]

While that may be true, the whole point is to be able to do so without polluting.

It's been proven many times over that over the life of the vehicle an EV is cleaner than a ICE even if that electricity comes from less-than-clean generation methods.

Like it (or believe it) or not, we've fucked this planet up. Probably beyond repair at this point.

That's what certain folks keep yelling... but it's not science based, it's hype based.

 

[THLONE]

How are you self proclaimed scientists going to clean up people farts?

 

[Dahveed]

That's what certain folks keep yelling... but it's not science based, it's hype based.

The US Department of Energy would disagree with you, but what do they know?

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Emissions from Hybrid and Plug-In Electric Vehicles (energy.gov)

And before you go screaming this line at me: "In regions that depend heavily on coal for electricity generation, PEVs may not demonstrate a strong well-to-wheel emissions benefit. " Yeah, I saw it too. But for the national average an EV contributes just 33% of what an ICE does.

There are too many factors to be able to come up with one solid number, time of day charging takes place, the climate of the region, the generation mix of the region.

No one is forcing you to buy an EV yet, so I guess I don't get the point of this thread.

I've owned an EV. I had a 2012 Ford Focus Electric for a while. For what I used it for, it worked really well. Yeah, it was a compliance car with only 76 miles of range. But for my area, it did just fine. We took my wife's vehicle if we needed to go out of town. I still have my level 2 charger in the garage in case I need it in the future. When Ford releases a PHEV Ranger, I'll be standing in line. You do you, boo boo.

 

[Montana Ranger]

Generally you charge over night during non-peak hours. You could technically use the EV battery as a backup for the house so you wouldn't be effected by the rolling blackouts.

The problem is that when enough people start charging "during non-peak hours", there will no longer be such a thing as a non-peak hour.

 

[HenryMac]

The US Department of Energy would disagree with you, but what do they know?

Sure.. let's trust the Government, they're independent, nothing for them to gain by misrepresenting data to the American people.

 

[Dahveed]

Sure.. let's trust the Government, they're independent, nothing for them to gain by misrepresenting data to the American people.

Ok, so obviously nothing is going to change your mind. I'm not going to waste my time here. No one is forcing you to buy an EV, so be happy with your truck and don't buy an EV. Simple as that.

 

[AdamHarris]

I want the biggest thirstiest most powerful EV you can get. And I only want to charge mine with coal fired lectricity. Everybody knows coal fired lectricity is better than other lesser lectricitys.

 

[HenryMac]

... No one is forcing you to buy an EV....

They will... it's just a matter of time.

 

[Langwilliams]

https://www.autoweek.com/news/green-cars/a36329317/ev-owners-switch-back-to-gas/

Some of the data is old but it backs up what I thought. Lots of people don't have a place to charge an EV. My condo has a detached garage but the garages are only wired for 110 so no upgraded chargers can be installed. Think of all the people that live in apartments and stuff with common parking or street parking an no electric to charge. That article says a Ford Mach E plugged into a 110 charger gains 3 miles range per hour, so over night 36 miles.

 

[lawrench]

So this will all get better as more and more folks plug in their new electric vehicles... right? Infrastructure, you know it's a top priority.. right?

California Residents Urged to Conserve Power Amid Heat Wave

I know a guy who lives in Arizona. He said it was 115 F yesterday. Probably a few of you folks here stewing in your own juices from that too.

What happens when your electricity goes out and the air conditioning in your house therefore won't run... and neither will the air conditioning in your car / truck because your car is electric too?

There's an old adage about having all your eggs in one basket that applies here...

I have stated something in a previous thread as what is stated above. What most people do not understand, most EV purchasers will be in urban areas. Yes, the infrastructure will have to be updated, but how difficult do you think it will be to update urban area's of this country? I would not want my roads tore up to update the electrical infrastructure at the same time other roads are tore up for maintenance/improvements. With all of the environmental studies, noise abatements, etc.. that municipalities impose on improvements now, how long will it truly be until the infrastructure is updated? Because if you are going to improve the infrastructure of electricity, would it not make sense to bury the electrical lines? I would think so, especially if you live in tornado alley. Remember just a few years ago, electrical lines were being blamed for cancer and other mental illnesses ( I am not trying to argue if electrical lines cause any of that, but that would be one of the things that most people would want updated, "bury the lines").

Also keep in mind that as a nation, we are not producing more electricity. We are removing dams, not issuing permits for new efficient Nuclear plants, and wind turbines are being shut down during bird migrations. To provide enough energy using solar energy, large areas of solar farms will have to be built, and for those to be more efficient, they cannot be located in the northern parts of the country.

As far as the batteries, they are expensive to produce, and no one really knows how long they will last before needing to be replaced. Or if there is an accident involving EV's, what does the cleanup cost the taxpayer or insurance companies? So there is a cost that no one is taking into consideration, eventually everybody will have to pay either higher taxes or higher premiums.

I know one of the selling points for a Ford F150 Lightning is that if your home has lost power, the Lightning can keep power on in your house. That is a good feature except if you live in a desert town (Tucson, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Los Angeles) where the AC will have to run at night because of the heat. Or, in the North in winter where it gets a little chilly.

As more homes become more energy efficient, the grid may be able to handle some increased EV charging (my opinion). But EV's are a feel good solution for a cleaner environment. We can debate the climate models and the effect of "fossil fuels" on the environment, but until we as a people can decide on an efficient supply of electricity, the ICE will reign for the foreseeable future.

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