Destroying the loon.
Credit: Forbes YouTube Screenshot
Visits: 27
How stupid are the Democrats? Using a skier as a climate change witness. You expect to see stupidity like this on obscure websites like NV. But the Democrats outdid themselves. Senator Kennedy destroyed this so called expert.
During a Senate Budget Committee hearing on Wednesday, a woke 23-year-old Olympic skier named Gus Schumacher became his latest victim. As Outkick.com reported, Budget Chairman Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) had invited Schumacher to testify as an “expert” on “The Nature of Climate Costs.”
Keyser, West Virginia, is going through an energy transition as wind turbines are built around the traditional coal mining area.
Haiyun Jiang for NPR
Visits: 17
Wind Turbines not the answer in coal country. Or anywhere else. In 2022, the country’s first major climate policy, known as the Inflation Reduction Act, passed with the promise to speed up that transition, offering at least $4 billion to boost development of renewable projects like the Pinnacle Wind Farm in Keyser.
Electric vehicles (EVs) have undeniably entered the mainstream in the United States. According to estimates from Kelley Blue Book, more EVs were sold last year than were sold between 2011 and 2018. The roughly 1.2 million new EVs put into service in 2023 represented 7.6% of the total U.S. car market. Cox Automotive’s Economics and Industry Insights team boldly predicted that this share will climb to 10% in 2024.
EVs’ impressive growth has played out even though they remain significantly more expensive to purchase than gasoline-powered cars, with only a handful of options priced below $40,000. EV proponents counter this drawback by claiming that EVs are actually cheaper to own over the long term, with lower fuel and maintenance costs making up for the higher sticker price. Studies examining cars’ total cost of ownership back their assertions.
However, these studies (and there are many) are only as reliable as their completeness. After all, a wide variety of expenses factor into a vehicle’s lifetime cost, and excluding or miscalculating one could drastically skew the calculation. That’s why researchers at the University of Michigan’s Center for Sustainable Systems reviewed the dozens of “total cost of ownership” studies to craft their own. Published on January 3rd in the Journal of Industrial Ecology, their analysis aimed to correct for the shortcomings of previous research.
A closer look at EV costs
Maxwell Woody, a research assistant pursuing Ph.Ds in resource policy and behavior and mechanical engineering, led the effort. He and his colleagues accounted for all the usual costs, such as purchase price, fuel, maintenance, repairs, insurance, annual fees, and financing. Unlike prior analyses, however, they also:
accounted for different EV charging behaviors, and explored the cost of ownership in 14 cities from across the U.S.
The findings broadly challenge the optimistic cost-of-ownership assessments frequently touted by EV enthusiasts. The researchers found that while small and low-range EVs capable of traveling around 200 miles are indeed less expensive to own than their gas-powered counterparts, larger, long-range EVs that can cover 400 miles are more expensive. Midsize SUV EVs — currently the top-selling models by far — only reach cost parity if government incentives are applied.
“EVs are more competitive in cities with high gasoline prices, low electricity prices, moderate climates, and direct purchase incentives, and for users with home charging access, time-of-use electricity pricing, and high annual mileage,” the researchers summarized.
Since EVs are broadly more expensive to purchase upfront than comparable gas vehicles, the best way to assess whether an EV will ultimately be cheaper to own over the long term is by looking at its break-even time: when its lower recurring costs make up for its higher upfront cost. Woody and his team found that 200-mile range compact and midsize electric sedans reach this point in 3 to 7 years, while 300-mile range variants take nine to 20 years to break even. Electric SUVs and trucks with 300 miles of range generally take more than 20 years, while 400-mile range EVs will never break even over their lifetimes.
Keep in mind, however, that this assessment did not include the Federal EV tax credit, which reduces the purchase price of certain EVs by $3,750 or $7,500. When included, the affordability scale tips decidedly toward EVs.
“For 200-mile range BEVs, the breakeven time is under 2 years for compact vehicles and sedans, and under 5 years for small and midsize SUVs in each city,” the researchers reported. “Small 300-mile range vehicles break even in under 10 years in each city, and larger 300-mile range vehicles break even in under 10 years in many cities…there are a few cities in which 400-mile BEV compact and midsize sedans will break even with [gas-powered] counterparts after 15−20 years.”
Cost parity down the road
Still, there are numerous unknowns in the assessment, such as whether a substantial number of EVs will require battery replacements outside of their warranties, mandated to be a minimum of 8 years and 100,000 miles. Also unknown is how the costs of gasoline and electricity will change in the future. The study also didn’t compare vehicle costs in rural areas.
Overall, the greatest factor in determining whether an EV will be cheaper to own than a gas vehicle is the ability to charge at home, where electricity is cheapest. (In their analysis, the researchers assumed that EV owners charge at home 80% of the time and at public charging stations 20% of the time.) Without home charging, an EV will likely never be cheaper over its lifetime.
“Home charging access reduces the lifetime cost by approximately $10,000 on average, and up to $26,000,” Woody and his team reported.
The study is just a snapshot in time, the researchers noted. An EV’s battery constitutes a significant portion of its upfront cost. With battery prices predicted to continue steadily declining in the coming years, the math is likely to shift more in favor of EVs.
I’ll be starting a new series on how Government is using its powers (Sometimes unconstitutionally and possibly illegally). Some of the articles will be in my own words (with sources) and some will be the reposting of articles from others.
I’ll be looking at local, state, and federal. Also, I’ll be looking at the educational system. Hopefully you will be shocked that this is going on. So, let’s see where this takes us.
If you have some ideas or have stories of weaponization, please feel free to comment or send me a link.
Call a spade a spade. Hamas, Pro Hamas Rioters, and White and Black Progressive Supremacists have the same goals. For my Liberal readers, let me explain before you try to do a doxing on me the way Progressives do. This is my pointing out of white progressive and black progressive supremacists.
The two groups have the same goals. They don’t allow debate. Only one view is allowed, and they dox whenever they get the chance. They will also go after moderates and liberals who disagree with them.
They claim that they’re not antisemitic, but they don’t condemn the rioters or openly support Israel in the October attack. They also will say something like I don’t support the government, but I support the people. Never do you see them in rallies in support of the people. They only show up in these rallies for a river to the sea cleansing of Jews.
So, when you see me connect progressives with Hamas, KKK, Confederates, Jim Crow laws, and other signs of hate, you will know of whom I speak.
Converting your house from Natural Gas to Electricity isn’t cheap. So, you’re considering of switching over to all electric. Sounds like you bought the climate activists charge that it’s cheaper and better for the environment. Let’s see.
First the old furnace and air conditioning unit needs to go. New ductwork needs to be added. Now replace all those appliances that are gas powered. What’s that cost you? Finally installing an electric heat pump and going solar. The cost there is what?
Homes that are fully electrified — heat pump HVAC, heat pump water heater, electric stove/oven, electric dryer, solar, storage, EV — cannot get by on smaller 100-amp or 125-amp electric services. Costs for individual consumers can range from $5,000 for a simple electric service upgrade to well over $20,000 if underground wiring or transformers need to be updated. Upfront utility engineering fees and delays of six months or more are typical. Cities and states that plan to electrify existing buildings must find ways to proactively streamline and reduce costs for electric service upgrades.
Bidens plans for fossil fuel in 2024. The Biden administration plans to eliminate fossil fuels as a form of energy generation in the U.S. by 2035. The White House set out a target of 80% renewable energy generation by 2030 and 100% carbon-free electricity five years later.
A lofty goal, hopefully after this year’s election that all ends. but if not, and Joe wins, we are in for some hard times. His war on fracking will continue. He said there would be no new fracking on Federal land. How long before he bans fracking on all land?
UAW Local 5960 member Kimberly Fuhr inspects a Chevrolet Bolt EV during vehicle production on May 6, 2021, at the General Motors Orion Assembly Plant in Orion Township, Michigan.
Visits: 9
How can this be? GM laying off workers? But it’s all about building the EV. Not so long ago we were told that this new contract would make life so much better for the union folk. Huge raise come at a price, but no the workers wouldn’t listen. Now the layoffs begin.
First it was the slashing od 24% of the workforce at it’s Cruse division. And all the robo taxi’s built there recalled.
Now this. GM plans to lay off about 1,300 workers in Michigan starting early next year due to vehicles they produce ending production, the company disclosed in state documents.
But don’t worry they will have jobs for you in 2025. Yeah right.
Officials cut the ribbon on the new Stanton Battery Energy Storage plant in Stanton, CA, on Wednesday, December 6, 2023. The facility has more than 15,000 batteries that can supply energy to 64,000 homes for four hours. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Visits: 23
What a joke. Solar battery power that lasts four hours. 118 million of our tax dollars were spent to build a battery storage plant that can supply 65,000 homes with energy for four hours.
The state has 6,617 megawatts of storage capacity.They say the state will need 52,000 megawatts of storage capacity to meet its goal of running entirely on clean energy by 2045. And this storage unit is 68.8 mega watts of power, at a cost of 118 million.
Tim Mann shows off some of the more-than 15,000 batteries that make up the new Stanton Battery Energy Storage plant in Stanton, CA, on Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Young Voters Flee Biden. Who Turns 81 Today. Happy Birthday Joe. My question is why they have voted for him in the first place?
The list of bad things that he and his administration have caused is so long. The Border, COVID, Crime increasing, Wars around the world, Weaponization of the courts, etc.
Among young voters (18-34 years old) — just 20% of whom view Biden favorably on Israel’s war on Hamas — Biden (42%) trails Trump (46%) by 4 points, which is outside the poll’s margin of error.
“This could be a massive sea change,” according to NBC News poll analyst Steve Kornacki, who noted Biden was plus-26 points on younger voters in 2020.
76
