MR> Gas/electric stations could store energy by trickle charging large
 MR> underground flywheels. Then quickly charge a customer's car without
 MR> any heavy drain to the grid. Thus no need to upgrade the electric grid.
> Wrong. There is a need, notably at the
> generating stations 'cos if you
> consume increased energy at the load centres,
> then you gotta burn more coal/
> gas/ oil whatever in the generating stations.
ALEC
I wonder what the total efficiency would be for an electric
car vs. the traditional gasoline powered car?
You would have to calculate the energy used digging up the coal,
transporting it to the power station, transporting it around
the coal yard, and crushing it.  Then there are blowers and
other energy hungry devices.  Also you would need to add in
the losses in the transmission grid.  That is not to say that
gasoline is the perfect energy source, but maybe not as bad
as some would have us to believe.
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