A brand new electrical automobile (EV) battery manufacturing facility in Kansas, funded by Panasonic with a $4 billion funding, is inflicting the state to delay the retirement of a coal-fired energy plant attributable to its excessive vitality calls for. The manufacturing facility, which aligns with the Biden administration’s push for EV adoption, is predicted to require between 200 and 250 megawatts of electricity, equal to what a small metropolis would devour.
Evergy, the utility serving the manufacturing facility, expressed issues about useful resource adequacy to the Kansas Metropolis Company Fee. To fulfill the vitality wants of the manufacturing facility, the utility intends to proceed utilizing the coal plant close to Lawrence, Kansas, and postpone plans to transition some models to pure fuel. This determination has drawn criticism from environmentalists.
A coal energy plant might be used to energy an EV battery manufacturing facility, which drew criticism from environmentalists.
A Lesser-known Reality About EVs
The scenario highlights a lesser-known truth about EVs: their manufacturing necessitates substantial vitality consumption. For example, a 15-pound lithium-ion battery requires as a lot vitality as a pound of oil, involving intensive mining and processing of minerals.
On common, an EV battery weighs round 1,000 kilos, and the emissions generated in the course of the mining and manufacturing course of typically exceed these of a gas-powered automobile. In consequence, EVs have to be pushed for a substantial distance, round 50,000 to 60,000 miles, earlier than their internet carbon dioxide emissions discount is realized.
With the growing variety of factories supplying EV producers within the U.S., the demand on the ability grid is predicted to rise considerably. Recognizing the necessity for coal to offer baseload energy, there may be rising consciousness amongst lawmakers and vitality specialists that prematurely shutting down coal-fired energy vegetation may pose vitality provide challenges.
Whereas renewable vitality sources like photo voltaic and wind are necessary for supplemental energy, they might not present the constant, baseload wanted for a dependable vitality provide. This actuality underscores the complicated vitality calls for related to the transition to electrical autos and the necessity for a balanced strategy to make sure vitality sustainability.
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