The energy challenge

Energy supply is the backbone of our civilisation. Try to imagine what happens if electricity is no longer available 24 hours per day, or fuel supply for our cars is too costly or simply inadequate.  This is not an academic question. Major institutions like the Dutch Clingendael, predict that we will face major economic problems within a few years because of our fossil energy dependency: the increasing mismatch between world wide energy demand and supply.

We have to change our energy systems drastically and fast, in order to keep economic strength and at the same time reduce the risks of a potentially catastrophic climate change for human civilisation, as a result of our fossil energy dependency.


Road transport in a key role

Transportation may have a key role in this turnover. Consumer prices of petrol and diesel are rising fast and the aviation sector is under heavy pressure as a result of high energy costs. Oil reserves are believed to be most critical in fossil energy supply and we experience it today already. A fast change in transportation fuels is crucial from an economic point of view. Transport is responsible for some 50% of the world wide oil consumption.


Many options

Several options are emerging nowadays, from natural gas, biofuels to hydrogen and electric transportation. The big advantage of natural gas and biofuels is that they can be used in our combustion engines, which will remain dominant in the next 10-20 years. However, they do not decrease the energy demand. From every 5 litres of petrol, diesel, gas or biofuels in our tank, only 1 litre is used to move the vehicle. The rest is turned into heat (80%).


Why a focus on electric transport?

With electric propulsion the percentages are reversed. 80% is used to move, 20% is lost. If one takes the energy losses for electricity production in power plants into account (different per country), electric transportation saves about 50% of energy (“from well to wheel”).


Hydrogen and electric

Hydrogen cars also use an electric drive system and batteries (fed by a fuel cell). There is still much debate on the question whether hydrogen will be thé future energy carrier or not. The use of hydrogen is much more inefficient than the direct use of electricity, but it may serve in the future to store excess energy production from wind mills, solar cells and so on. A fact is that major car companies announced the introduction of electric cars within some years, and not the introduction of hydrogen cars. Hydrogen technology is still expensive and an infrastructure to fill many cars is lacking. Organising the electric charge of cars is much easier, as we have an electricity distribution network. The question whether our future cars are powered “all electric” or by hydrogen, is however not very interesting. Electric drive technology is used in both options, and if the economic opportunities are currently “electric”, it leaves the door open for hydrogen propulsion.


With electric cars more sun and wind energy

And there is another reason why a strong focus on electric transport is most relevant for future energy systems. Electric cars need big batteries carrying a lot of electricity. Most cars are standing still, and when connected to the electricity grid, they can serve to fill the grid in times of electricity shortage.  In other words: when electricity is cheap we buy it for our cars, and when it is expensive we sell (part of) it again. When we possess a large amount of electric cars, a substantial part of the daily electricity production is stored in the car batteries. This enhances the use of wind or solar energy (we buy electricity when a lot of wind or sun is available and sell it when these sources provide less energy).

D-Incert plea in the press (in Dutch)


In short....

  • Electric transport is a rational choice, as it reduces our overall energy demand (and CO2 emissions) substantially. More than any other transport alternative currently available. It is has no hazardous emissions.
  • Electric drive has many attractive elements for consumers. Very strong motors, low energy prices per kilometre, low maintenance costs, silence and most comfortable drive systems.
  • Investing in electric transportation does not frustrate an eventual future hydrogen economy. In fact, it supports it.
  • Preparing society for electric transportation now is important, as large car companies will release electric cars (especially plug in hybrids) within some years.
  • The transport sector may develop a key role for energy storage and thus enhance the large scale introduction of sustainable energy sources like the wind and the sun. 
  • Electricity is an easy to handle and efficient energy carrier. A stronger focus on electricity  reduces research and development costs for new energy systems. We can focus on electricity generation, with many alternatives available. Transport -as a major energy consumer- becomes more sustainable with a more sustainable electricity generation.