Welcome to the future of transportation! As we navigate towards a more sustainable world, one technology is paving the way for a transformative change: electrification. Gone are the days of noisy, emission-spewing vehicles polluting our streets. We are witnessing an extraordinary shift as electric cars, buses, and even bicycles become commonplace on our roads. In this electrifying blog post, we will delve into the remarkable role of electrification in transforming transportation and how it can lead us towards a greener and cleaner future. Buckle up – it’s time to switch gears.
What is Renewable Energy?
Renewable energy pretty much refers to any form of energy which is not derived from the combustion of fossil fuels. While it may seem like a daunting task to find renewable sources of energy, the fact is that renewables are growing in popularity all over the world. The bottom line is that there are many different types of renewables, and they can be used to generate electricity, heat our homes or businesses, or even drive vehicles. Here’s a look at some of the more common renewable energies: solar power, wind power, hydroelectric power, geothermal power, tidal power, and biomass.
Solar power is by far one of the most popular forms of renewable energy. This is because it is cheap to install and maintain, and there is plenty of potential for growth due to its reliance on sunny areas around the world. Solar panels generate electricity when sunlight strikes them photovoltaic cells (PV).
Wind farms use turbines to turn wind into mechanical action usable by an engine. The turbine can be as small as a motorbike or car engine while some very large wind farms have been built with hundreds or even thousands of turbines!
Hydroelectricity works similarly to solar PV in that water falls on a light panel which shines sunlight onto another device called a PV cell that converts light into electric current. Operating costs are lower than solar PV because you only need sun exposure approximately 1/10th as long as you do with solar PV for equal results (the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington state is one of the largest hydroelectric power stations in the world and it has an operating capacity of 3,500 MW – almost four times that of Hoover Dam).
Geothermal power comes from the Earth’s interior. The heat within the Earth drives a pump which pumps water up to the surface where the water boils and turns turbines that create electricity. Geothermal resources are found mainly in volcanoes and near hot springs where magma rises to the surface.
Tidal power derives its strength from the gravitational pull of bodies of water. This type of power station uses two devices: an energy converter called a tidal hub which takes the energy from waves crashing against a shoreline, turning it into mechanical motion which can then be used to turn a generator; and a turbine which converts this mechanical energy into electricity. It is estimated that there are between 10-30 gigawatts (GW) of tidal potential worldwide – enough to provide up to 2% of global electricity demand!
Biomass comes from plant materials including forestry, agricultural crops and municipal waste. Biogas is methane gas created when organic matter breaks down in anaerobic conditions –natural sunlight does this too but less effectively. Biofuel is any fuel derived from biomass – this can include ethanol made from corn, methanol made from wood or straw and biodiesel made from oilseed crops.
Lights, Cars, and the Future of Transportation
Electrification is quickly becoming the key to solving not only transportation sustainability, but also regional economic disparity. Across the globe, electric vehicles are seeing positive growth as they represent an affordable and sustainable means of transportation. Globally, sales of electric cars totaled about 2.5 million units in 2018. The United States ranked third with about 500,000 electric car sales in 2018. While these numbers show a slow but steady increase in electrics on the road, it’s still a very small percentage of the overall market. But this number is only going to continue growing as awareness and acceptance of electric vehicles grows.
The benefits of switching to electric vehicles are many and include: reducing harmful emissions from gasoline-powered vehicles; improving air quality; reducing dependence on foreign oil; helping support sustainable development goals such as climate change mitigation and energy conservation; and creating new opportunities for employment within the automotive industry. In addition to all of these benefits, there are also economic considerations that must be taken into account when making a decision to switch to electric transport over other forms of transportation.
When looking at the total costs associated with operating an electric vehicle, it becomes much more feasible than traditional combustion engine options (which often require expensive upgrades or replacements). The Chevrolet Bolt EV, for example, has an estimated lifetime cost of ownership ranging from $2300-$3600 depending on driving habits and features chosen. This makes EVs much more accessible to regular drivers who may not have been ready or willing to make such an investment in a gasoline-powered vehicle.
However, even with these low upfront costs, there are still significant monthly expenses associated with electric vehicles. In addition to the cost of purchasing and maintaining an electric vehicle, there are also additional costs such as charging station installation and usage. Chevrolet estimates that the average consumer will spend $128 per month on electricity expenses in order to charge their Bolt EV. Taken together, these expenses make electric vehicles a considerably more expensive alternative to traditional combustion engine vehicles.
Despite these costs, electric vehicles continue to see rapid growth around the world due to their enormous environmental and economic benefits. With increasing awareness and adoption of electric vehicles, we can look forward to a future in which transportation is completely dependent on sustainable technologies.
How does Electrification affect transportation?
Electric vehicles, able to travel up to 300 miles on a single charge, hold the promise of transforming transportation. Current models offer the potential for drastically reducing emissions, but significant challenges remain before they can be widely adopted.
For example, there is still a need for safer and more affordable charging infrastructure, as well as improved technology that can allow electric vehicles to interact with traffic signals and other drivers. Some cities are also exploring ways to integrate these new forms of transportation into their existing networks. There is still much work to be done before electric vehicles can truly play a role in altering our trajectory towards sustainability.
Benefits of Renewable Energy
Renewable energy technologies have many benefits that can help make transportation more sustainable. For one, renewable energy sources are stable and continue to produce energy even when the wind isn’t blowing or the sun isn’t shining. Second, they’re versatile – you can use them to power vehicles, residences, industrial applications and more. Third, renewables don’t create pollution and they’re reliable; solar and wind power generate electricity almost 24/7 without any need for fuel or maintenance. Renewables are affordable – if the project is located in a place with good resources and favorable conditions, it’s often cheaper to install a renewable energy system than build a new fossil fuel-powered plant.
Conclusion
As the world transitions towards a more sustainable future, transportation is playing an increasingly important role. For years, environmentalists have been urging people to ditch their gas-powered vehicles in favor of greener modes of transportation like bikes and buses. But what about the electric car? Is it really the answer to our problems? In this article, we will explore the pros and cons of electric cars and see why they might not be able to play a sustainable role in our future transportation system. Hopefully by the end of this read you will have a better understanding of whether or not electric cars are right for you and your everyday commute.
