The Real Cost of Going Electric: Part 4 - The Grid Problem

Electric vehicles (EVs) have been hailed as the ultimate solution for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change. However, in this series we have been taking a closer look at the realities of EV adoption to understand the impact of a 100% transition to EVs.

Today we will look at the serious challenges that EV’s pose for the electric grid: They rely on a complex electric grid that is not ready to handle the massive increase in power demand and the variability of renewable energy sources. Sustainable Vehicle Fuels (SVFs) on the other hand, are drop-in fuels that can be used in existing internal combustion engines (ICEs) and infrastructure and can achieve comparable GHG reductions to EVs more immediately, with less cost, and less disruptions.

The challenges of electrifying transportation

Decarbonizing transportation using EVs is really a two-step process from an energy distribution perspective: Step 1, update the distribution capacity to deliver enough electricity to charge the EVs, and Step 2, change power production to renewable sources to replace fossil fuels.

To accommodate the expected growth of EVs, the grid would need an overhaul to upgrade its transmission wires, substations, and transformers, as well as to integrate smart technologies and energy storage systems (Learn More 1). However, coordination among the various stakeholders involved in this is a complex endeavor, such as federal and state regulators, utilities, grid operators, EV manufacturers, charging station providers, and consumers.

Moreover, electrifying transportation does not necessarily mean decarbonizing it. EVs are only as green as the electricity they use. Currently, about 60% of U.S. electricity generation comes from fossil fuels, mainly natural gas and coal (Learn More 2). Even if renewable energy sources such as wind and solar increase their share in the future, they pose challenges to grid reliability and stability due to their intermittency and variability.

For example, solar power is not available at night, when many EV owners may want to charge their vehicles. Therefore, integrating more solar energy into the grid would require additional investments in storage and transmission infrastructure, which are costly and complex, and only compound the problems with the demand for batteries that we covered in part two of this series (Learn More 3). Currently, to balance the supply and demand of electricity, grid operators need to rely on backup power plants, which are often fueled by natural gas or coal.

Therefore, switching from ICE vehicles to EVs does not necessarily reduce GHG emissions, unless the electricity used to charge them comes from low-carbon sources. However, achieving this goal would require a massive expansion of renewable energy capacity and transmission infrastructure, as well as a radical transformation of the electricity market and regulatory framework (Learn More 4).

The benefits of Sustainable Vehicle Fuels

SVFs are transportation fuels produced from biomass sources through a variety of biological, thermal, and chemical processes. The fuel is chemically identical to existing transportation fuels and meets the same specifications. This means that SVFs can be used in existing ICE vehicles and infrastructure without any modifications or adjustments.

SVFs offer many benefits over EVs for green transportation, such as:

• Engine and infrastructure compatibility — Woodland BIO’s sustainable gasoline can be blended with conventional gasoline or used as a standalone fuel in existing vehicles and infrastructure. This eliminates the need for costly and time-consuming upgrades of the grid and charging stations, as well as the disposal of old ICE vehicles.

• Increased energy security — SVFs can be produced domestically from a variety of feedstocks, such as woody biomass, agricultural residuals, sewage, vegetable oils, animal fats, greases, algae, dedicated energy crops, and more. This reduces dependence on foreign oil imports and contributes to domestic job creation. SVFs can also be used to stockpile strategic reserves because liquid fuels can be stored indefinitely without degrading, unlike electricity stored in batteries, which generally loses charge over time.

• Fewer emissions —Carbon dioxide captured by growing feedstocks balances carbon dioxide released from burning sustainable gasoline, resulting in lower life-cycle GHG emissions compared to petroleum gasoline or EVs. Sustainable gasoline can also reduce other harmful emissions such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur oxides. With enough improvements the Woodland BIO system can even be calibrated to store part of the carbon in the ground as a part of the process, creating a carbon-negative cycle.

"He foresees the potential use of waste wood products and municipal solid waste to produce renewable fuels in the future and estimates it could equate to about 4 million barrels a day of fuel---or 20% of U.S. consumption. "  - Robert Freerks

Conclusion

"He foresees the potential use of waste wood products and municipal
solid waste to produce renewable fuels in the future and estimates it
could equate to about 4 million barrels a day of fuel---or 20% of U.S.
consumption. "  Robert Freerks in learn more 3

Decarbonizing transportation in a timely manner will require a hybrid approach, using many different technologies in synchronicity to achieve the desired goal. EVs have a part to play, but so do SVFs, which can achieve comparable GHG reductions with less cost and disruption.

This is because SVFs work with existing ICE vehicles and infrastructure, and can be produced domestically from a variety of biomass sources. EVs, on the other hand, rely on a complex and fragile electric grid that is not ready to handle the massive increase in power demand and the variability of renewable energy sources. EVs are also only as green as the electricity they use, which currently comes mostly from fossil fuels. Therefore, sustainable gasoline is a more immediate and less disruptive option to decarbonize transportation and reduce GHG emissions.

References:

1: Creaky U.S. power grid threatens progress on renewables, EVs
2: U.S. Energy Information Administration - Electricity explained: Electricity in the United States
3:  Electric Grid & Infrastructure Challenges Could Limit EV Adoption
4: Can Power Grids Cope With Millions of EVs?