The Future Of Electric Vehicles In Meeting The Air Quality Challenges In Southern California

This report describes the results of the first phase of an investigation of the impacts of electric vehicles (EVs) in southern California. The investigation focuses on the Southern California Edison Company (SCE) which provides electric service for approximately 60% of southern California. The project is supported by the Air Quality Impacts of Energy Efficiency'' Program of the California Institute for Energy Efficiency (CIEE). The first phase of the research is organized around how EVs might be viewed by customers, vehicle manufacturers and electric utility companies. The vehicle manufacturers' view has been studied with special emphasis on the role of marketable permit systems. The utilities' view of EVs is the subject of this report. The review is particularly important as several case studies of EVs in southern California have been conducted in recent years. The dynamics of a growing population of EVs is explained. Chapter 5 explains a simple method of deriving the electricity demands which could result from the operation of EVs in southern California. The method is demonstrated for several simple examples and then used to find the demands associated with each of the eight EV scenarios. Chapter 6 reports the impacts on SCE operations from the new demands for electricity. Impacts are summarized in terms of system operating costs, reliability of service, and changes in the utility's average electric rate. Chapter 7 turns to the emissions of air pollutants released by the operation of EVs, conventional vehicles (CVs) and power plants. Chapter 8 takes the air pollution analysis one step further by examining the possible reduction in ambient ozone concentration in southern California.

This report describes the results of the first phase of an investigation of the impacts of electric vehicles (EVs) in southern California. The investigation focuses on the Southern California Edison Company (SCE) which provides electric service for approximately 60% of southern California. The project is supported by the ''Air Quality Impacts of Energy Efficiency'' Program of the California Institute for Energy Efficiency (CIEE). The first phase of the research is organized around how EVs might be viewed by customers, vehicle manufacturers and electric utility companies. The vehicle manufacturers' view has been studied with special emphasis on the role of marketable permit systems. The utilities' view of EVs is the subject of this report. The review is particularly important as several case studies of EVs in southern California have been conducted in recent years. The dynamics of a growing population of EVs is explained. Chapter 5 explains a simple method of deriving the electricity demands which could result from the operation of EVs in southern California. The method is demonstrated for several simple examples and then used to find the demands associated with each of the eight EV scenarios. Chapter 6 reports the impacts on SCE operations from the new demands for electricity. Impacts are summarized in terms of system operating costs, reliability of service, and changes in the utility's average electric rate. Chapter 7 turns to the emissions of air pollutants released by the operation of EVs, conventional vehicles (CVs) and power plants. Chapter 8 takes the air pollution analysis one step further by examining the possible reduction in ambient ozone concentration in southern California.

In the tradition of Silent Spring and Unsafe at Any Speed comes this frightening, landmark environmental study. The message: seemingly innocuous recreational boats, particularly outboards, are polluting as much as all the cars and trucks in America; and the marine industry has been holding its breath, hoping that nobody notices. Polluting for Pleasure begins with the author accidentally discovering that pleasure boats have been spilling oil into the environment on a magnitude that is staggering. In addition to being 80 times more polluting than automobile engines, the more than 8 million two-cycle outboard engines put more oil into American waters than 15 Exxon Valdez oil spills, annually! Oil, like dirt collecting on the sides of a bathtub, contaminates the shores and marshlands of our lakes and rivers, the cradles of all marine life. This important new book not only studies the problem of pollution from powerboats and the environmental effects, it also offers constructive suggestions for alleviating the problem.

Ozone-friendly, recyclable, zero-waste, elimination of toxic chemicals - such environmental ideals are believed to offer solutions to the environmental crisis. Where do these ideals come from? Is the environmental debate communicating the right problems? Eco-Facts and Eco-Fiction examines serious errors in perceptions about human and environmental health. Drawing on a wealth of everyday examples of local and global concerns, the author explains basic concepts and observations relating to the environment. Removing fear of science and technology and eliminating wrong perceptions lead to a more informed understanding of the environment as a science, a philosophy, and a lifestyle. By revealing the flaws in today's environmental vocabulary, this book stresses the urgent need for a common language in the environmental debate. Such a common language encourages the effective communication between environmental science and environmental decision-making that is essential for finding solutions to environmental problems.