News this week that Nissan will be making their new electric car in Sunderland, not only will the car be made in the UK saving and creating important new jobs and securing a manufacturing base in what could be considered the industrial heartland of the country, but also it will pave the way for future green transport projects as thousands of charging points will be installed to keep the cars moving. I understand that London will also see installation of the charging points.
Also worth mentioning is that Ford are planning serious investment in cleaner engines. For the short term future, certainly, diesel engines provide a practical solution to environmental issues with the dramatic increases in the mpg these engines have given in recent years they provide a useful stepping stone to the future.
At this point I think it’s important to mention the debate on the ‘greenness’ of electric cars in general. While energy is produced by fossil fuel burning power stations the cars are still generating pollution – albeit less than an internal combustion engined car – and so it’s important to see that as much energy as possible that is used to power these vehicles is generated using green technology. An electric car charged by wind turbines and solar panels would definitely live up to it’s claim to be emissions free. You can even factor in that batteries are the most recycled item in the UK to help allay fears that the toxic pollutants found inside them could lead to a massive problem later on.
You may have noticed that I didn’t consider nuclear power in the paragraph above, and to be honest that’s because while the carbon emissions may be non-existent there is still the huge problem of what to do with the radioactive nuclear waste that these plants generate. I’m not saying that there isn’t a place for them in the future, just that we as individuals, businesses, a country and the planet must learn how to both use less energy – through low energy products – and also make sure that we generate it in the cleanest way possible.
And finally, for all you cars lovers – which I am – if transport in general cleans up, and power generation cleans up too; there will still be a place for a V8 powered muscle car in the world that won’t cause anyone any problems!
ReGen Power 
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