Are Electric cars the ultimate solution?
What’s better mining (solids) or extracting gas or liquids from the ground?
Wonder if I am the only one worry about our alternative solutions to decarbonize the transportation industry.
One of the main concerns I have about transitioning to electric vehicles is the environmental impact of their production. While electric cars may be a more efficient and cleaner alternative to traditional fossil fuel vehicles, they come with their own set of challenges. For example, the mining of minerals such as lithium, which is necessary for the production of batteries, can have a significant environmental impact, including deforestation, water pollution or simply water sequestration. Additionally, the manufacturing process for electric vehicles has a large carbon footprint, which can offset some of the emissions savings gained from using them for transportation; blowing up a mountain isn’t green, blowing dozen of mountains neither!
Here is a quick summary of what minerals are needed for EV Cars:
· Cobalt is needed for battery electrodes.
· Neodymium is needed to make electric motor magnets.
· Lithium is needed to make battery electrolyte.
Switching to electric cars before 2030 in UK for example, will require twice the current Cobalt World’s Production and the UK is a small country compared to other big players (see bbc report).
I like the narrative about Energy Transition (I am a big supporter), but I am also worry if the world “as a whole” is moving too fast into one direction without thinking deeply enough about the consequences of such move.
We don’t need to be an expert, geoscientist or professional to know that extracting liquid or gas from the ground is way easier than solids. Mining is one of the dirtiest business out there and this goes against “Clean Energy” (NY times report). You can easily compromise water supply for an entire region due to mining activities. This is quite pity and we should be careful when executing.
The World Energy Transition needs to come at the right pace, because if we rush it, we will regret the consequences of an irrational act, there is more critical thinking required from the parties involved.
It is interesting to consider the potential impact of electric vehicles on carbon emissions in the United States. According to studies, if the overall vehicle fleet in the country remained unchanged for the next 30 years, the equivalent emissions reduction could be achieved by transitioning to a fleet of around 205 million electric vehicles. This highlights the importance of transitioning to more sustainable transportation options, but it is important to approach this transition in a thoughtful and measured way. Rushing to adopt new technologies without proper planning and consideration can lead to irrational and emotional decisions, rather than a sustainable and long-term solution. It is also worth noting that the efficiency of current gasoline-powered vehicles has improved significantly in recent years, with the average fuel efficiency now at 25 mpg and rising. It is important to consider all available options and find a balanced approach to reducing carbon emissions rather than blindly following trends or emotions.
I will appreciate any feedback.
