09-11-2011, 07:02 PM
AllGold wrote:
[quote=BernDog]
[quote=AllGold]
Even electricity generated from 100% coal on a large scale is more efficient and less polluting than burning gasoline.
Unfortunately, I don't have anything handy to cite on the subject and I don't expect or even want you to take my word for it any more than I want you to take someone's word for it who says otherwise.
My gut tells me that producing power on a large scale has to be more efficient than separate tiny power plants in each vehicle (like we have now). But, I do know there is some power loss in converting all those electrons and moving them long distances, as well as in charging/discharging a battery, so... ?
Sure, but it's not like burning gasoline for locomotion is 100% efficient either.
No kidding! I just mean that there is a trade off when using the power grid that isn't there when you produce the power locally (gasoline engine). As I said, I'm not an expert in these things, but it's still a small (sometimes major) talking-point in the argument. I can't see how the trade-off puts the efficiency in favor of all these little power plants rolling around, though.