Efficient transport, is fighting against the shovels of workers throwing charcoal in industrial furnaces to produce electricity. The kind of electricity we use to charge the batteries of electric cars. (Published in Car Magazine's Greek Issue Feb'11 by E.P.)
Transport is responsible for 25% of carbon emissions worldwide, with cars and trucks emiting 75% of the total amount. Researches show that by 2050, energy demand for transportation will be two times more than today, while gas emissions must be half. In other words, by 2050, the ratio of "energy consumption / emissions" should be fourfold compared with the current data. The question that naturally arises is whether the international community is prepared to deal with such numbers...
Japan distributes its energy basis for the production of electricity, to coal and natural gas. Americans use coal as well, giving to nuclear energy an important piece of their energy pie. The charcoal is the main choice for the British, while the Germans still have a long way to go in order to disengage from it. Nuclear Energy is the main power for France's electricity, a fact that brings the country among the most friendly towards the environment, worldwide. At the same time, Spain and Italy, base their production of electricty on natural gas, which is much cleaner than oil but not free of CO2 emissions. The same applies to Russia, one of the richest countries in natural gas deposits.
All car companies have plans for the future of mobility, following -more or less- a path of bolts. The Japanese, being immersed in tanks of petrol, promote the use of hybrid engines, using gasoline and electricity. This is why Japan's first environmentally friendly moves, are in elliptical orbits around hubrid petrol engines. In the US, similar hybrid researches are under way except that pure electric transport is more widespread. In Italy, the Fiat Group promotes the use of LPG and natural gas, trying at the same time to get the best out of internal combustion engines (Multiair, Twinair). "The next day" for the Italians is also hybrid, combining different types of fuel: LPG - petrol, hydrogen - petrol, biofuels - petrol, are some examples. Of course, similar applications will be seen in diesel engines. This one, is a strategy that France is already embracing, with its diesel hybrid cars being the next in the production line. Models like the Citroen C-Cactus, the C-Metisse and Hypno, are equipped with such power units. Fuel consumption in these vehicles, which are currently concept cars- sounds paradoxical: the C-Metisse, is powered with a V6 Diesel Hybrid engine generating 208hp, requiring 6,5 lt/100km. As a step further, the French group is preparing engines that will use the E10 fuel: a mixture of gasoline with ethanol, 9 / 1. The French, of course, are not the only ones doing this and this mixture is probably the most prominent example for all future energy mix.
Transport is responsible for 25% of carbon emissions worldwide, with cars and trucks emiting 75% of the total amount. Researches show that by 2050, energy demand for transportation will be two times more than today, while gas emissions must be half. In other words, by 2050, the ratio of "energy consumption / emissions" should be fourfold compared with the current data. The question that naturally arises is whether the international community is prepared to deal with such numbers...
Japan distributes its energy basis for the production of electricity, to coal and natural gas. Americans use coal as well, giving to nuclear energy an important piece of their energy pie. The charcoal is the main choice for the British, while the Germans still have a long way to go in order to disengage from it. Nuclear Energy is the main power for France's electricity, a fact that brings the country among the most friendly towards the environment, worldwide. At the same time, Spain and Italy, base their production of electricty on natural gas, which is much cleaner than oil but not free of CO2 emissions. The same applies to Russia, one of the richest countries in natural gas deposits.
All car companies have plans for the future of mobility, following -more or less- a path of bolts. The Japanese, being immersed in tanks of petrol, promote the use of hybrid engines, using gasoline and electricity. This is why Japan's first environmentally friendly moves, are in elliptical orbits around hubrid petrol engines. In the US, similar hybrid researches are under way except that pure electric transport is more widespread. In Italy, the Fiat Group promotes the use of LPG and natural gas, trying at the same time to get the best out of internal combustion engines (Multiair, Twinair). "The next day" for the Italians is also hybrid, combining different types of fuel: LPG - petrol, hydrogen - petrol, biofuels - petrol, are some examples. Of course, similar applications will be seen in diesel engines. This one, is a strategy that France is already embracing, with its diesel hybrid cars being the next in the production line. Models like the Citroen C-Cactus, the C-Metisse and Hypno, are equipped with such power units. Fuel consumption in these vehicles, which are currently concept cars- sounds paradoxical: the C-Metisse, is powered with a V6 Diesel Hybrid engine generating 208hp, requiring 6,5 lt/100km. As a step further, the French group is preparing engines that will use the E10 fuel: a mixture of gasoline with ethanol, 9 / 1. The French, of course, are not the only ones doing this and this mixture is probably the most prominent example for all future energy mix.
In November 2010, German Chancellor Angela Merkel attended in Munich the opening of facilities that will be the first mass production line of electric vehicles. The line is owned by BMW, which after the Mini E, prepares the Active E: also an electric vehicle based on the floor of the BMW 1 Coupe. In line with the BMW come the movements of Audi, who signed a pact with the International Organization "Desertec Industrial Initiative". The aim of the pact is the environmentally friendly production of energy for new generation vehicles, with Rupert Stadler Managing Director of Audi AG, declaring that with this move, Audi is committed to produce clean energy using the arid lands of North Africa and Middle East: "Generating energy from renewable sources, is a circle. We shouldn't forget the way we produce electricity to power the batteries of electric cars" said Mr Stadler signing the agreement, pointing out that the challenge of efficient transport, cannot be focussing only on the construction of "green vehicles". It should also refer to environmentally friendly infrastructure to produce the electricity.
Considering that the major thrust for future travelling will be based on electricity (Daimler, GM, Ford and others follow the same path) careful planning to support energy needs, is what we mostly need. Nowadays, both the prevelance of internal combustion engines and the way electricity is generated downgrade living standards. Meanwhile, ease of use and low cost of energy for the time being, act as barbed wire that we are not yet willing to surmount.
KEY SOURCES OF POWER TODAY *,**
ENGLAND: 33% coal, 45% n. gas, 14% nuclear, 1.8% renewables
FRANCE: 4% coal, 4% n. gas, 77% nuclear, 13% renewables
GERMANY: 46% coal, 14% n. gas, 23% nuclear, 5% biomass, 11% renewables
GREECE: 52% coal, 22% n. gas, 16% oil, 10% renewables
U.S.: 49% coal, 21% n. gas, 19% nuclear, 2% renewables
JAPAN: 27% coal, 26% n. gas, 24% nuclear, 13% oil, 8% renewables
ITALY: 54% n. gas, coal 15%, 10% oil, 18% renewables
RUSSIA: 48% n. gas, 18.1% coal, 16% nuclear, 16% renewables
* The total of individual percentages may not be 100% as there are some additional sources of energy, with small percentages, not mentioned
** SOURCE: International Energy Agency
KEY SOURCES OF POWER TODAY *,**
ENGLAND: 33% coal, 45% n. gas, 14% nuclear, 1.8% renewables
FRANCE: 4% coal, 4% n. gas, 77% nuclear, 13% renewables
GERMANY: 46% coal, 14% n. gas, 23% nuclear, 5% biomass, 11% renewables
GREECE: 52% coal, 22% n. gas, 16% oil, 10% renewables
U.S.: 49% coal, 21% n. gas, 19% nuclear, 2% renewables
JAPAN: 27% coal, 26% n. gas, 24% nuclear, 13% oil, 8% renewables
ITALY: 54% n. gas, coal 15%, 10% oil, 18% renewables
RUSSIA: 48% n. gas, 18.1% coal, 16% nuclear, 16% renewables
* The total of individual percentages may not be 100% as there are some additional sources of energy, with small percentages, not mentioned
** SOURCE: International Energy Agency