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THE CYCLE – REDUCE
KICK THE HABIT
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There is further scope for saving energy in prospect with the development
of alternative fuels (see page 128) and new vehicles such as
hybrid cars
.
In many countries public transport is capable of improvement, perhaps by
allowing it to compete on equal terms with private operators (removing
hidden subsidies, for instance) or by providing a fully integrated urban net-
work. Some savings are possible immediately, while others will have to wait
for technology to advance.
The hybrid car is certainly one of the icons in the fight against climate change, a
solution already on the market but available only to those who can afford it.
Wikipedia reads: “The hybrid vehicle, a mixture between a gasoline-powered
and an electric car, typically achieves greater fuel economy and lower emissions
than conventional internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), resulting in fewer
emissions being generated. These savings are primarily achieved by four elements
of a typical hybrid design:
recapturing energy normally wasted during braking etc.;
having significant battery storage capacity to store and reuse recaptured
energy;
shutting down the gasoline or diesel engine during traffic stops or while coasting
or other idle periods;
relying on both the gasoline (or diesel) engine and the electric motors for peak
power needs, resulting in a smaller gasoline or diesel engine sized more for aver-
age usage rather than peak power usage.
These features make a hybrid vehicle particularly efficient for city traffic where
there are frequent stops, coasting and idling periods. In addition noise emissions
are reduced, particularly at idling and low operating speeds, in comparison with
conventional gasoline or diesel powered engine vehicles. For continuous high speed
highway use these features are much less useful in reducing emissions.”
The car market is moving towards more efficient and more climate-friendly
vehicles, and science is experimenting with new innovative designs, for example
electric cars. They might be more efficient and clean, but they impose limitations
on the owner and are suitable only for short urban trips. The driving range is
fairly limited (about 100 km) and the car needs re-charging for four hours.
105
100 Kwh of electricity from coal
(high estimate)
80
100 Kwh of electricity from coal
(low estimate)