5 November 2019 — 1409 mst
Energy notes: Paris, electric ferries, light bulbs and dimwits
Pulling out of the Paris climate accord. Yesterday, to no one’s surprise, President Trump announced that the United States had just given notice that it was withdrawing from the accord to limit greenhouse emissions that was negotiated during Barack Obama’s presidency. One reason for the withdrawal, of course, is Trump’s determination to undo all of Obama’s accomplishments. Another is his desire to please the neanderthal coal companies that support him while declaring bankruptcy and winding down their industry. The notice won’t take effect for a year. Meanwhile, the rest of the world is writing Plan B for countering global warming without the cooperation and leadership of the United States. I suspect the U.S. will be welcomed back if a Democrat wins the presidency next year.
Electric ferry boats
Washington State’s ferry system is converting its three largest ferries to diesel-electric hybrid systems, according to the Everett Herald. Lithium batteries will replace two of the four diesel engines on the ferries, which transport motor vehicles and pedestrians across Puget Sound. The conversion will save money and lower greenhouse emissions, especially when fast charging at dockside becomes available. A 60-page feasibility study of the conversion is available on the ferry system’s website.
Many, probably most, of Flathead Memo’s readers have traveled on these ferries, which are fast. Several years ago, crossing from Edmunds to Kingston, my handheld GPS reported a top speed of 20 mph. Puget Sound is five to ten miles wide. A ferry crosses in half an hour or less. And that’s what makes this project feasible. A battery large enough to propel the boat for 20–30 minutes will fit on the boat.
This is not a new idea. There are a number of electric ferries in Europe, including one that was wrecked by a battery fire and subsequent explosion.
Is the next step converting cruise ship, warships, and freighters to battery-electric propulsion? No. The energy density of batteries is still too low for the distances these ships travel. Liquid fuels will dominate long distance transportation for many years to come.
States sue to stop dimwitted rollback of light bulb standards
Led by New York, 15 states and seven consumer and environmental groups have sued the U.S. Department of Energy to halt its attempt to eliminate energy efficiency standards for close to 50 percent of the electric lamps being sold.
According to The Hill, the standards rollback would increase energy use significantly in the U.S.
The controversial rule erases Obama-era efficiency standards for lightbulbs, keeping in place rules for standard pear-shaped bulbs, while removing such requirements for recessed lighting, chandeliers and other shapes of bulbs.
The rule will increase U.S. electricity use by 80 billion kilowatt hours over the course of a year, roughly the amount of electricity needed to power all households in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, according to an analysis by the Appliance Standards Awareness Project. That translates to more than an $100 a year added onto the average consumer bill.
I don’t think Trump will get away with this — the law authorizing the standards has a “no backsliding” provision — but just the fact that he’s attempting such a dimwitted rollback is outrageous. If he gets away with it, he does damage to the environment while reducing the discretionary spending available to citizens, and exposes the nation to ridicule in the eyes of the rest of the world. That’s a high price to pay for obliterating another of Obama’s accomplishments.