[Readers of this blog are probably well aware that I have long argued that any scheme to mitigate or adapt to climate change must provide tangible benefits to consumers.
Citizens are only prepared to make minor sacrifices to their current lifestyle in order to save the planet and benefit future generations. Pursuit of GNP growth will always trump any costly and hair shirt strategies to reduce GHG emissions.
This is even more acute in the developing world. To deny to the developing world the potential to enjoy the energy rich lifestyle that we enjoy in the first world because we have already poisoned the planet is simply unconscionable and politically unpalatable.
As a result energy consumption is going to increase dramatically as the developing world pursues the same lifestyle that we take for granted in the developed world. And until they achieve approximate lifestyle parity reducing global GHG emissions will always be a secondary priority.
That is why I have long argued against energy efficiency as a path to reducing global GHG emissions. Given the projected growth of energy consumption by the developing world, energy efficiency, at best, will only slow down the rate of GHG emissions. We need to more than slow GHG emissions, but virtually eliminate them all together. How do we do that when over half the population on this planet has yet to come close to adopting energy intensive developed world living standards?
The problem facing this planet is not energy consumption, but the type of energy we are using. If we could convert all energy consumption to clean, renewable energy sources then we would not have a climate change problem, regardless of overall energy consumption. The problem with renewable energy sources such as the wind and the sun is their unreliability and unpredictability. Eliminating fossil fuels entirely will require the ability to store large amounts of energy.
As I have blogged before eVehicles may be the ideal energy storage and transport medium, as they enable the concept of "packetized energy" to retrieve power from renewable sources along roadways and deliver it to specific destinations. An eVehicle energy distribution system would be a lot smarter than today's dumb electrical grid and its tight integration with dirty power plants. Just as importantly they also address the demand for individual transportation in the developing, as well as the developed world.
Large scale automobile ownership and road infrastructure is seen as the epitome of first world living standards. Most people, regardless of where they live in the world aspire to the freedom and flexibility of owning their own car. eVehicles powered by renewable energy may be the answer. But rather than charging the eVehicle from stationary charging systems at home or business using dirty power from the utility grid as is done today, a simpler architecture would be charge the vehicle as it moves, either through induction coils, or ultra-capacitor discharge plates embedded in the road bed every few kilometers or at stop lights and drive-through fast food restaurants or banks.
To date the deployment and adoption of electric vehicles has been hindered as they been simply seen as a one to one replacement for the traditional gas vehicle. But if the eVehicle could also be used not only for transportation, but as a low cost alternative to the utility grid, then it might have a much greater take up rate, as well as eliminating range anxiety. Imagine if your car could be used to deliver free, or almost free green power, from remote stranded power sources such as windmills and hydro facilities, not only to power the car, but also upon arrival at your destination, to power your home or business as well.
The advent of autonomous vehicles means that when the eVehicle is not being used to transport humans it could continue to be used, in off peak times, as an energy transport system transferring renewable power from remote locations to homes and businesses within cities. Less complex "on the move"charging systems could also be deployed.
For more details please see:
Green Investment Opportunity for small business - on the move electric car charging
http://green-broadband.blogspot.com/2010/04/green-investment-opportunity-for-small.html
How California suburban sprawl could be the answer to global warming
http://green-broadband.blogspot.com/2010/12/how-california-suburban-sprawl-could-be.html
Pathway Charging and Why Energy needs to be Free to reduce CO2
http://green-broadband.blogspot.com/2011/01/why-energy-needs-to-be-free-to-reduce.html
Electric roads and Internet will allow coast to coast driving with no stopping and no emissions
http://green-broadband.blogspot.com/2011/05/electric-roads-and-internet-will-allow.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+GreenIt%2FbroadbandAndCyber-infrastructure+%28Green+IT%2FBroadband+and+Cyber-Infrastructure%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher
Bombardier’s Primove
http://www.bombardier.com/en/transportation/sustainability/technology/primove-catenary-free-operation
Honda’s Roadside Electric Vehicle Charging
http://www.plugincars.com/honda-explores-electric-vehicle-solar-charging-106587.html
A new look at an old idea: Powering autos as they move
http://green-broadband.blogspot.com/2011/03/new-look-at-old-idea-powering-autos.html
Mitsubishi wants to use electric vehicles as mobile battery banks
http://www.greentelecomlive.com/2011/08/21/mitsubishi-wants-to-use-electric-vehicles-as-mobile-battery-banks/comment-page-1/#comment-75614
This blog is about using ICTs to develop climate change preparedness solutions built around Energy Internet and autonomous eVehicles
Energy Internet and eVehicles Overview
Governments around the world are wrestling with the challenge of how to prepare society for inevitable climate change. To date most people have been focused on how to reduce Green House Gas emissions, but now there is growing recognition that regardless of what we do to mitigate against climate change the planet is going to be significantly warmer in the coming years with all the attendant problems of more frequent droughts, flooding, sever storms, etc. As such we need to invest in solutions that provide a more robust and resilient infrastructure to withstand this environmental onslaught especially for our electrical and telecommunications systems and at the same time reduce our carbon footprint.
Using autonomous eVehicles for Renewable Energy Transportation and Distribution: http://goo.gl/bXO6x and http://goo.gl/UDz37
Free High Speed Internet to the Home or School Integrated with solar roof top: http://goo.gl/wGjVG
High level architecture of Internet Networks to survive Climate Change: https://goo.gl/24SiUP
Architecture and routing protocols for Energy Internet: http://goo.gl/niWy1g
How to use Green Bond Funds to underwrite costs of new network and energy infrastructure: https://goo.gl/74Bptd