Lets look at energy, electric cars are the future – or are they? On the graph from the Government BEIS department it is shown that petroleum fuels are currently providing 3.6 times the amount of energy that is provided by generated electricity. This means that to maintain travelling at present levels we need to increase electricity generation by at least 3 times what we currently have. A simple calculation from 1 gallon of petrol having around 33kWhr of energy, or about 60 miles, illustrates that we need a lot more electricity than is likely to be available in the near future. A practical figure from a staff Nissan Leaf he gets about 3.8 miles/kwhr. Add to this the Governments proposals to stop all fossil fuel house heating by 2030 we obviously need to generate at least 7 times more electricity. This patently unrealistic! Unless the building insulation improves and renewables sector increases very fast there is not going to be enough energy.
So where does that leave us? The obvious first impact is we are going to be more locally focused, for food, work and everyday life.
If fossil fuel for transport and farming has to reduce to zero plus fossil heating, gas and oil, that leaves a BIG ask for electricity to fill the gap.
Perhaps this is future?
THE FUTURE IS LOCAL.