http://www.climateoutcome.kiwi.nz/blog.html

Renewable energy to power our transport.

25/8/2015

New Zealand's electricity companies, in common with those around the world. are on a plateaux of consumption caused by more efficient appliances and the big increase in solar panels. This trend has only just started and as the prices of solar panels falls it becomes much cheaper to make your own electricity.
This puts the power companies in a commercial dead end where chasing diminishing customers into a market of falling prices is not a good option.

The big area of energy use that is untapped is transport and here New Zealand is miles behind the rest of the world as we only have 700 electric cars and a very small network of electric rail system in Auckland.
At least forty years ago Europe started to modernise and electrify its rail system, as a method of separating heavy transport from domestic traffic and reduce road deaths and reduce congestion. It is also makes good economic sense as oil is mostly imported and electricity is mostly domestic energy.
Oil is a diminishing resource with a volatile price and its cheap today but will be expensive in five years time and New Zealand has more than enough renewable energy to power the whole country without using oil or coal.
Fraser Whineray, CEO of Mighty River power, recognises this
Read Here. and it trying to do something about it but he is ploughing a lonely furrow in what should be a busy and crowded market.

I believe that bold action is needed and it requires substantial investment to change the market. If two or three power companies joined together to buy the operating rights of a railway and converted it to run on electricity they could go into direct competition with road transport. We need a transport policy more like Europe where government's recognise the value of the rail system and put it on the same financial system as roads where improvement is considered an investment in infrastructure for sound economic reasons.
It takes years to convert a transport system and the sooner it is started the sooner the country will benefit.

7 Comments

Ross Clark link

25/8/2015 10:11:39 am

One of the issues, as more of those that can afford to, get solar panels, the costs of the grid system have to be shared among a smaller number of consumers = higher power cost. Solarcity with their installing panels at their costs does help address this. But another option - what if some decided to donate all/part of their power surplus/savings to those less fortunate via say Salvation Army? One way or another, power utilities have to become part of the solution - otherwise they will be left with stranded assets?

Bob Bingham

25/8/2015 02:51:45 pm

You are right. The power companies have to deal with a new business model but there is no turning back. It only took ten years to put the horse out of business as our main form of transport.

Bob Bristow

26/8/2015 03:19:16 pm

Bob, I agree with you that bold action is required, and EV's are the low hanging fruit. Tesla EV's have the longest battery range between charging at around 385 kilometers, and will be more tempting to the general public when they release the more modest priced model E (debut in March 2016 ?), though not sure when they will be available to our smaller market here. I'm pleased to see as an incentive the government are wavering the $700 Road user Charge for EV's and hybrids until 2020 at least.

I understand Scotland are offering interest free loans (under the Switched on Scotland scheme) to tempt users there, and in the U.K the government fleet is going 100% EV and hybrids to set an example.

Eventually here in New Zealand we will see regular EV charging stations around the country and they will become part of our way of life and culture. Car dealerships and manufacturers need to get behind this as well as our local governments.

We have to do this, the sooner the better . . . These are worrying but exciting and challenging times, with lots of opportunities to modernize to post industrial revolution living. I urge people who deny that climate change isn't happening to look at the evidence at “Climate Outlook”, and those who think it too late and have given up all together to re-evaluate. There is still time and New Zealand is well positioned to mitigate.

And there are many new innovations to make the switch easier . .

“100 Percent Renewable Energy Charged EV Stations Allow Driving on Sunshine”

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2015/08/100-percent-renewable-energy-charged-ev-stations-allow-driving-on-sunshine.html

Bob Bristow

5/9/2015 04:58:06 pm

Just to append to my earlier post Elon Musk has now announced the price of the new (more modest) EV. . . . Looking forward to seeing it on our roads . . .

Musk confirmed that the model will be $35,000 (U.S.D) and will be unveiled in March – which is also when the company will start taking pre-orders.

http://www.planetexperts.com/elon-musk-teases-35000-tesla-model-3/

Bob Bristow

26/8/2015 03:44:23 pm

Sorry for the Dyslexic moment - doubters please read the evidence at "http://www.climateoutcome.kiwi.nz"

Bob Bristow

30/8/2015 03:00:03 pm

With out wishing to labour my hope that our great land can indeed contribute, again this is not a point of politics this is really happening and we have to respond to it, if we care about our descendants ..

The stop-go politics of the U.K are doing some positive things. . . . .

http://cleantechnica.com/2015/08/29/uk-electric-car-grant-5000-extended-till-february/

Bob Bingham

31/8/2015 01:01:32 am

Hello Bob. The UK system of not charging the car sales tax or VAT on new electric cars is working very well and you can see how it will benefit the economy of a country whose own oil supplies is running out. I wish that we had a similar system here as oil is one of our biggest import bills.

Bob Bingham Blog page.

Renewable energy to power our transport.

Leave a Reply.

Bob Bingham

Archives

Categories