Some E xciting developments coming 18/19

[Col Lamb]

Nukes are an environmental disaster, with huge amounts of CO2 alone being released into the atmosphere by the production of thousands of tonnes of concrete.

Hmm, well, it's true that the through-life carbon budget of nuclear power stations does reveal significant amounts of CO2 released. But it's only about 30% of gas-fired stations (and actually about 10% of coal-fired). So if you're going to generate power at all then the best option is certainly renewables (about 5-6% of the gas-fired CO2 release). But nuclear is then the next best thing and probably unavoidable to the extent that you need reliable base-load.

There is wide variance in opinions within the respective industries.

Known Nuclear material at present usage is only expected to last 100 years, and as resources diminish prices will rise considerably and the dubious economics of nukes will become even more questionable.

Hydro is supposedly the current lowest cost per unit generated but yet its another environmental disaster.

Teslas self sufficient home model becomes more attractive and viable if take up is on a massive scale and solar cells and associated battery packs can be made in the required quantities.

[SAC1]

Nuclear power stations take decades to be agreed [location], more years to finance and then muliple years to build, commission and EVENTUALLY bring on stream. Look at how long Hinckley C is taking! The legacy of nuclear and its eventual decomissioning is horrendous.

Gas dependecy on even more on Russia - no thank you.

My concern is where are all these millions of cars going to plug in if they dont have access to home / work place charging? I’m one of them. Even if all this electric for all of them, can be produced, can it be generated safely, reliably and economically to the EV users of 20 years time.

ICE is user friendly and refuelling is quick. There are 50+ petrol stations within a 10 mile radius of where I live. Reports today state that there will not be enough EV points for the anticpated 1 million anticipated users by 2020.

That’s why this week i’ve ordered a brand new petrol car as our 2nd car. Delivery will not be until Nov 2018 because of WLTP or whatever it’s called. Perhaps by 2022 there will be a viable alternative to the ICE for our replacement......

I’m not anti-EV, i just want to know how its going to be THE solution.

[Dandock]

Toyota say hybrids won’t be able to do 50 miles and mixed messages from HM Gov.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.autoex ... less%3famp

[johnd]

Nuclear power stations take decades to be agreed [location], more years to finance and then muliple years to build, commission and EVENTUALLY bring on stream. Look at how long Hinckley C is taking!

That's very largely the result of weak-willed government though. It doesn't have to be like that.

And if we look forwards on a 30-50 year timescale - to the extent that's even possible I mean - then there are promising signs that nuclear fusion (ie as opposed to the fission process of traditional nuclear) will at long last start delivering on its potential. There's a considerable amount of effort going into this at present with multiple tech start-ups (typically commercial spin-offs from long-established academic research centres around the world, like Tokamak Energy (see Google or Youtube) from JET at Culham near Oxford). Still 20-30 years of R&D to go, but break-throughs like (relatively) high-temperature and mechanically more robust superconductors enabling much stronger magnets, a much better theoretical understanding of plasma instabilities etc seem likely to make a big difference to progress.

My concern is where are all these millions of cars going to plug in if they dont have access to home / work place charging?

That's a legitimate concern, I agree, with no immediately obvious/universal answer. I'm sure that solutions will evolve over the next 10-20 years to some extent. eg blocks of flats presumably already have off-road parking for residents' cars and so there will often be scope for installing suitable charging points - probably 'just' a who pays issue more than anything. But those limited to on-street parking will probably be one of the last groups to seriously consider EVs - not sure anyone is suggesting that a steady move to EVs will happen anything other than in stages.

[Col Lamb]

Nuclear power stations take decades to be agreed [location], more years to finance and then muliple years to build, commission and EVENTUALLY bring on stream. Look at how long Hinckley C is taking! The legacy of nuclear and its eventual decomissioning is horrendous.

Gas dependecy on even more on Russia - no thank you.

My concern is where are all these millions of cars going to plug in if they dont have access to home / work place charging? I’m one of them. Even if all this electric for all of them, can be produced, can it be generated safely, reliably and economically to the EV users of 20 years time.

ICE is user friendly and refuelling is quick. There are 50+ petrol stations within a 10 mile radius of where I live. Reports today state that there will not be enough EV points for the anticpated 1 million anticipated users by 2020.

That’s why this week i’ve ordered a brand new petrol car as our 2nd car. Delivery will not be until Nov 2018 because of WLTP or whatever it’s called. Perhaps by 2022 there will be a viable alternative to the ICE for our replacement......

I’m not anti-EV, i just want to know how its going to be THE solution.

Cities have to have cleaner air, no one can fail to have noticed the News in recent weeks of poor air quality in them.

Removing ICE vehicles from use within towns and cities will be a significant help in reducing pollutants.

EVs as I stated earlier move the source of pollution to the power stations where the exhaust gases can more efficiently be processed to remove dangersous contaminants, and this is the prime reason why Governments are pushing for EV adoption.

I see charging parks, Supermarkets etc being the solution to recharging.

Lets also remember that for the vast majority an EV will not need to be charged after each journey or overnight. A real range of say 150 miles will provide more than enough for the daily commute for a working week of use without recharge for the vast majority.

In my last job I had a daily round trip commute of 26 miles hence it would be a good few days before I would have needed to recharge.

I think the mindset seems to be that the EV batteries have to be fully charged at the start of each day which clearly is not the case for what will be the vast majority

[Dandock]

But those limited to on-street parking will probably be one of the last groups to seriously consider EVs

I don't think its about consideration but practicality and thereby inherently divisive. Being in the above category I find this idea troubling. We see it already with those most able both socially and financially being offered a considerable benefit. By the time adequate facilities are developed and rolled-out those with no other choice but to drive ICEs will undoubtedly be increasingly severely penalised in taxation, congestion charges and no-go areas etc.

[Deleted User 1874]

ICE is user friendly and refuelling is quick. There are 50+ petrol stations within a 10 mile radius of where I live.

My EV is the most user-friendly car I've ever owned by a long shot. Never having to visit petrol stations is a great bonus too!

But your point about not having access to home or workplace charging is valid for now at least and maybe even for quite a long time to come, hence the reason why hybrids will be a popular choice in the medium term. But anyone who can make a full EV fit their lifestyle should seriously consider one, they offer some great advantages over comparable ICE cars. I'm certainly not going back!

[VanB]

I think you have a very valid point there Peteski. Not only not visiting a petrol station but not having to fork out £70+ for a fill up would be very appealing (am I right in thinking a full charge is c £7?).

[Dandock]

I think you have a very valid point there Peteski. Not only not visiting a petrol station but not having to fork out £70+ for a fill up would be very appealing (am I right in thinking a full charge is c £7?).

That’s now though, and only limited models, but certainly not in the future.

[Deleted User 1874]

I think you have a very valid point there Peteski. Not only not visiting a petrol station but not having to fork out £70+ for a fill up would be very appealing (am I right in thinking a full charge is c £7?).

Yes, that's about right. But on a long trip via a Tesla Supercharger it costs £0