Thread |
|
Post info
|
|
CANADA: Renault-Nissan signs ZEV partnership in Vancouver
The Renault–Nissan Alliance, the Province of British Columbia, the City of Vancouver and BC Hydro have announced a partnership that will see British Columbia become the initial launch point for Nissan’s Canadian zero-emission transportation program.
View original article here
|
8 Oct 2009
by
Article comment
|
|
RE: CANADA: Renault-Nissan signs ZEV partnership in Vancouver
Quote: "Electric vehicles, fuelled by clean, renewable energy resources, will help us achieve a low carbon transportation future."
"We are building a conservation culture in B.C. which includes not only the efficient use of electricity but also the protection of air quality."
Electricity from renewable energy is the key to really clean electric car. I would be careful not to call hydro-electricity “clean” – cleaner than coal, yes! But not that clean considering ecological damage done, and emanation of methane from the reservoirs. My question is how much of electricity [for this venture] will come from gas or coal fired power plants. Hydroelectricity in BC is used for aluminium production, - is there such a big surplus remaining?
The second point is very interesting. Efficient use of electricity in electric cars can come from efficient car itself… I hope the cars will be light and aerodynamically very efficient. Are they? Not many OEM’s, except maybe VW… are talking about truly efficient cars… Is there a hidden reason for it? I guess there must be…!
Quebec will surely be next in line to pretend to be able to supply “clean” energy for electric cars… So far, ZENN became a fiasco [it was predictable]; my hint is that Tesla may follow. If considering the “coal mining-to-plug” efficiency for electricity [from coal], and “well-to-service station” efficiency for gasoline [from petroleum], Lotus Elise [with ICE] is actually more efficient than electric Tesla, which is basically the same car…
Coal gas industry must be happy about the push for electric cars… Economic slow down [mildly putting it] put the pressure on oil and gas supplies [big surpluses, lower prices]. Electric cars [as proposed today] are a welcome event [in time]. Unless we use truly clean energy to feed the batteries of electric cars, the whole exercise makes no sense. We will need more energy at source, and will create more pollution.
|
8 Oct 2009
by Mark Kmicikiewicz
Forum moderator
|
|
RE: CANADA: Renault-Nissan signs ZEV partnership in Vancouver
Alcan, the aluminium producer here in BC is only one customer. The entire province is powered by hydro-electricity. There is only one natural gas fired generating station (there is no coal fired plants in BC) and it is used very sparingly. BC Hydro (wholly owned by the province of British Columbia) is beginning the process to close the plant permanently.
While BC is slower than most places to implement wind generating stations, it is starting to see the light in this regard. Additionally, the University of Victoria is undergoing a series of experiments in the Strait of Juan de Fuca between Vancouver Island and the Olympic Penninsula of Washington State to develop an ocean current generating station.
Québec City already has a small fleet of electric buses that are used in Vieux Québec but I see that electric vehicles are not too practical as the severe weather in the winter would seriously limit the efficiency of batteries.
Hydrogen powered cars, on the other hand, will provide considerable competition in years to come to electric vehicles and British Columbia is already on the forefront of this technology: BC signed an agreement with California to bring the "Hydrogen Highway" to the West Coast of North America. Ballard, a leading fuel-cell research company is based here as well.
But in the meantime, this deal with Renault-Nissan will help paint the current provincial government as "green" and eco- friendly.
|
9 Oct 2009
by
czbbflier
|
