The Oil Drum

15 comments on A wind-powered Statue of Liberty

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Glenn on August 25, 2005 - 11:43am

Yes, this is exactly why we really need to think about peak oil as "peak energy". We will be slowly (or dramatically) be losing our most heavily used fuel source. All the plug-in hybrids are going to consume a vast amount of electricity - they will make air conditioners seem like a drop in the bucket of electricity usage.

That's why it is important to get all of these alternatives ramped up as quickly as possible.

Personally, I would love to drive around the city in one of those GEM cars or an electric golf cart. Just imagine 5th Avenue bustling with all these little electric cars with bicycles (maybe with power assist) wizzing by them!

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Anonymous on August 25, 2005 - 8:37pm

Dont get me wrong i entirely agree that plug in hybrid and electric vehicles powered by renewable power is the way to go. I disagree that as the as these vehicles come on to the market that electric generation capacity will be ridiculously overstrained. The vast majority of vehicles will be recharged overnight, a time when power demands are much lower than daytime when A/C etc. is all going. Thermal power plants (eg coal and gas) cant just turn an and off at the blink of an eye. So currently large amounts of potential electricity are wasted at night keeping plants warm for peak demand, This is called spinning reserve. As a result introduction of electric vehicle charging at night could significantly increase plant efficiency without leading to many capacity problems.

Longer term, introduction of centralized AND distributed renewable generation will provide the power. One of the "problems" often cited with renawable power is intermittency, seems to me charging EV and PHEV vehicles is a bloody effective way to store this energy when its available without touching peak demand.

Rob Melbourne Australia

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Stuart Staniford on August 26, 2005 - 12:58am

Mmm. You can charge it at night to get to work in the morning. You need to charge it at work to get home again. The infrastructure to conveniently charge cars where we park them is going to take a little while.