Forget hydrogen-powered cars, it’s now time for plug-in hybrids. At least that is what some environmentalists, national security officials, clean-energy experts and politicians are claiming, says the Economist.
The campaign is the brainchild of Austin Energy a power-generating utility owned by the city of Austin, Texas and has already won the endorsement of dozens of cities and towns, including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Denver, and more than 100 utility companies, says the Economist.
But what is plug-in technology?
Enthusiasts say that this will dramatically reduce oil use and curb greenhouse gas emissions; however, the main obstacle is that the longer range requires a bigger battery, and bigger batteries are heavier and more expensive, says the Economist.
Still it is an interesting idea, and if it came to pass it would radically restructure America’s energy economics by shifting demand from the filling station to the power station, says the Economist.
Source: Editorial, Plug and play, Economist, January 28, 2006.
For text (subscription required): http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=5436860
For more on Energy: http://eteam.ncpa.org/issues/?c=energy-and-the-environment
FMF Policy Bulletin/ 25 April 2006
