Our Gasoline thirst fuels Mideast Fundamentalism, Violence – EVs are the Answer
http://www.juancole.com/2013/11/gasoline-fundamentalism-violence.html
Our Gasoline thirst fuels Mideast Fundamentalism, Violence – EVs are the Answer
Posted on 11/15/2013 by Juan Cole
The Greater Middle East has much of the proven oil and natural gas reserves in the world, and it is those hydrocarbon resources that give the region its central position in US policy. But the dependence by the US and its allies on petroleum is promoting a disturbing religious fanaticism and authoritarianism in the Muslim world, because of where the oil lies. Moreover, burning hydrocarbons causes global warming and sea level rise, threatening American coastal cities like Miami with being submerged, menacing the Southwest with extended drought and forest fires, and contributing to extreme weather events like more powerful hurricanes and typhoons.
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The US uses around 19.5 million barrels a day of petroleum. Despite hydraulic fracturing and ethanol, the US still imports around 7.6 million barrels a day (despite what the boosters say, there is no prospect of the US avoiding oil imports). Moreover, US allies such as Britain, France, Germany, Spain and Japan are also big oil importers and their security depends on the Middle East. The US as a superpower has to look out for that security.
What do the Middle East exporters do with the revenues they receive from the US and its allies? Saudi Arabia spreads an intolerant form of Islam, first the Taliban in Pakistan and Afghanistan, now more recently the so-called “Salafis” in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, and Syria, who have agitated against human rights, women’s rights and secular principles. Saudi Arabia claims over $800 billion in reserves, built up from its oil sales, and is deploying that money to shape the Muslim world in an rigid and hateful direction. Do we really want to be making involuntary donations to that cause?
Likewise, oil millionaires in places like Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, who are not government figures (in fact they may be anti-government) are also supporting disturbing movements. In northern Syria, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and the Succor Front (Jabhat al-Nusra)– both al-Qaeda affiliates– are said to receive monies from the Salafi billionaires of Kuwait.
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First you have to remember electricity is NOT an energy source, but a way to use energy. Thus EV can NOT be a factor in replacing oil, till we address HOW the electricity is produced.
Today, less then 10% of electricity is produced through "Renewable" sources, including traditional Hydro electrical dams.
http://www.eia.gov/electricity/
THE EIA is stating renewables including hydro is about 14% of all electrical production:
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2013/08/renewable-energy-tops-14-of-us-electrical-generation-during-first-half-of-2013
The problem is Coal, Natural gas and Atomic plants are still the big three. Those three is over 80%
Also remember the above is WITHOUT most transportation NOT using Electricity. EVs will drive up the demand for electricity. Thus you not only has to continue to produce the electricity demand that is expected INDEPENDENT of transportation, but replace the energy demand by transportation.
You have to remember the US is dependent on Oil NOT only for personal transportation (Where EV can do some good) but also truck movement. Truck movement means the movement of goods.
45% of all oil is used by Cars, light trucks, light planes and SUVs:
http://www.eccos.us/what-is-oil-used-for
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_oil
23.5% of all oil used is for home heating oil or diesel fuel:
http://alternativeenergy.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=001797
9.2% of oil is used for jet transportation.
That means 55% is used for movement of BIG Trucks, Barges and Trains (and electrical generation, through that is a small percentage).
The only Railroad, other then local commuters such as streetcars, LRV and Subways, that uses electrical power is AMTRAK.
http://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/annual/diagram1.cfm
http://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/annual/pecss_diagram.cfm
Thus 60% of all energy is NOT used to produce electricity (40% of all energy is used to produce electricity).
Electrical power is expected to increase for all present uses (i.e. NOT for transportation), thus renewables will have hard times replacing oil powered transportation items at the present time. Renewables have to increase by at least 10 times the present rate (and that includes hydro power), Thus EV will be part of the answer, but other solutions will have to be added, including making society more energy efficient by replacing the need for cars to a society where shopping, working, school and living will all be within walking distance.