Electric Cars
Toyota is planning to introduce electric cars as early as 2010. General Motors General Motors says the same thing same thing. Already, electric car prototypes prototypes exist in Australia. Every day there's commentary, much of it from the auto industry itself, about how the days of the petrol engine are numbered. Shouldn't Australia get on the right side of history? It can do so by following the rational course: connecting its huge Outback energy reservoirs of solar, geothermal, wind and nuclear energy to its energy-hungry cities. Daytime Outback energy can power lights and air conditioners. At night, it can charge up cars.
The benefits of a progressive, measured shift to electric cars would be huge. It would lower Australia's greenhouse gas emissions from transport which amount to roughly a third of the country's greenhouse gas output. It would improve the nation's trade balance by reducing refined petroleum imports. It would capture for Australia more of the energy value chain, creating jobs, intellectual property and enhancing the country's international standing.
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| Australia could reduce or eliminate many refined petroleum imports... |
...by finding another transport fuel |
| Source: ABARE | Source: ABARE |
Best of all, it would "future proof" the nation in power and transport by readying it for the new technologies of tomorrow regardless of what those technologies will be. Australia risks getting left behind if it doesn't reconfigure its energy system to cheaper, cleaner sources. Furthermore, domestically-generated energy insulates the country against supply chain disruptions. Oil industry officials are already warning that Australia may be becoming increasingly dependent on foreign oil.
The best part about this reconfiguration of the energy system toward Outback solar, geothermal, wind and potentially, nuclear energy is that the country gets an agnostic bet on the future of technology. Outback electricity can power the cities, with surplus power used either to charge transport vehicles, be put in batteries to protect against transmission outages or, most excitingly, stored in hydrogen for either domestic use or export. As economies of scale mature, the hydrogen creation process can be moved upstream and centralised at either Roxby Downs or Moomba. This is just the long-term strategy the National Hydrogen Study suggested was the most rational for developing the Australian Hydrogen Economy.
The best and brightest global minds are already going to work on schemes just like the above. Google and California utility Pacific Gas & Electric are testing hydbrids that can generate and sell electricity back into the grid. The US Energy Department has pledged $30 million to develop plug-in hybrids, and US government researchers are also studying how to manage distributed power generation by the grid. These are all economic value pots Australia can participate in developing.
Bottom line: the rest of the world is getting ready for the post-petroleum vehicle age. Australia should, too.