Pollution Shell Game

By Kleinheider Posted on May 8, 2008 at 7:15 am

Brandon Berger takes issue with Lamar Alexander’s contention that “plug-in” electric cars are demonstrably more environmentally friendly than our current gas-guzzlers:

Though true that the overall carbon footprint of an electric car is less than that of a fossil-fuel burning one, an electric car does have a substantial emissions cost. It is simply occurring at another location. The energy they use is derived from the local sources providing electricity to a region. Here in Tennessee, this means electricity from the TVA energy grid, and, although the TVA is renowned for massive hydroelectric projects, they only provide 7 to 10 percent of the region’s electricity. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 66 percent of my energy as a Nashville resident is provided by coal-burning plants, a notorious source of air pollutants and global warming contributors.

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