The environment and our emissions - who cares?

I do.

TL;DR version: Choose renewable energy to "fuel" your Tesla. I chose Powershop who have a special deal for EV drivers: Electric Vehicles Special Offer - Powershop, a better power company

---

I know I've raised this before - but now that the Model S has well and truly launched in Australia, it's time to bring it up again.

We all buy the car for different reasons - power, looks, prestige, tech or environment, it doesn't matter - that's up to you.

What else is up to you? How environmentally friendly the Model S is.

In the short/medium term, the dominating pure EV on the road will be the Tesla Model S or X. That means a lot of eyes will be turning towards us, as early adopters, to gauge the environmental impact EVs have in Australia.

You've heard the criticisms: oh well you're just running on coal so that's bad. Most recently, an article has come out saying that Teslas in Victoria are ABOVE the national average in terms of emissions: Teslas in Victoria arent greener than diesels

If these criticisms continue unchallenged, and most importantly if we make decisions that substantiate such criticisms, we will delay the mass adoption of EVs in Australia, and provide ammo to entrenched fossil fuel and automotive interests.

I know many of you have solar, and many of you also source your electricity from renewable sources - and I think that's awesome.

I, unfortunately, cannot get solar, so the only thing I can do is to ensure that, as much as possible, the money I spend on electricity goes to companies that are dedicated to renewable energy.

There are a few around, but one has recently come out with a special deal just for EV drivers: Powershop. I'm sure you've seen the offer around, but I'm putting it here just in case you haven't.

Powershop are offering a free upgrade to 100% GreenPower for all EV drivers for the first year. Link here: Electric Vehicles Special Offer - Powershop, a better power company

I have no commercial affiliation with Powershop, but I am a Powershop customer. I know many on this forum already are as well.

Not only do all profits go back into renewable energy projects (mostly windfarms), but using Powershop doesn't actually cost me more, it costs me less. They don't have a separate connection fee, and your consumption charge goes down with higher electricity use. So because we use more electricity than the normal household, our average consumption charge is low, even without off-peak rates.

EVs will be a major driver of electricity demand going forward - it is in fact one of the saving graces of the large scale utility. Pushing for renewable energy as the only electricity source we use, means more renewable energy investment in the long term, helping to clean up our grid.

EVs are the only form of automotive transport that get cleaner as we move towards a renewable energy future. Fossil fuels will always be fossil fuels.

By driving EVs, we have the power to bring the renewable energy future closer, sooner. If there is no economic detriment, I think we have a responsibility to do just that.

/rant

meloccom said:

The catch is as an existing Power Shop customer I don't qualify. :crying:

Click to expand...

I would have a chat with Powershop about that! They are pretty nice

baillies said:

Interesting video, you may want to check this AU fuel usage calculator http://www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au/GVGPublicUI/Search.aspx it seems to show around a 10% increase in CO2 due to fuel production and transport. Regardless you can never reduce pollution in an ICE car but you can choose to use green power to run an EV.

<rant
Regardless to me a major reason for looking at EV's over ICE is the air pollution not just CO2, petrol fumes are toxic and so are the exhaust gases. I have a house with an attached/connected garage and I do not like the fumes from the car coming into the house. I bought a battery lawnmower and will buy an EV to reduce the fumes in my house.

I think if all vehicles on the roads where electric I would also be much happier catching public transport, last time I caught a bus from Lane Cove Road I really disliked the noise and fumes whilst waiting. I also consider electric buses would be a better long term solution for Sydney than the current push for light rail.
</rant>

Click to expand...

That's a really good point baillies.

For our business, because we drive EVs, our office can actually be located in the same warehouse where we park our cars...because there's no fumes. It's pretty hilarious when I jump out of the car and straight onto my desk

Oh and we also "fuel" up our cars next to our desk.

It's quite incredible and very exciting

Hi guys just thought I'd add a bit:

- Powershop is a renewable energy company in the sense that they are owned by Meridian, a large wind farm electricity generation company. All of the money made by Powershop goes into Meridian, which uses it to build more wind power projects. So basically you're supporting renewable energy
- All of Powershop's electricity supply is offset using a United Nations carbon offset program (that is all power, regardless of which pack you buy)

Having said that, because of the way the National Electricity Market works, you can't guarantee that your electricity is coming from renewable sources. To combat that, the government introduced what Gabz said above as "Greenpower". This is the extra cost on top of your normal electricity that goes to buying renewable energy certificates, which is then used to buy renewable energy from the generator of renewable energy (whether it be Hydro, Wind, Solar etc). This is a roundabout way of allowing shoppers buy renewable energy, without providing them with a direct mechanism.

Powershop's offer is to give EV drivers this Greenpower for free for a year (up to a certain usage). But even if you didn't go with that option, you're still buying power that supports renewable energy.

Powershop also isn't the only company to offer renewable energy - check out Momentum Energy for example as well.