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The transformation from conventional vehicles to electric vehicles is underway, but its timeline is still uncertain. The battle against climate change provides the essential backdrop, leading governments to encourage this transformation by providing both consumer incentives to purchase electric vehicles and by establishing regulations requiring automakers to produce them. Behind this prodding are a set of fundamental forces that both encourage and discourage consumer interest, as set forth in the text. Fortunately, intensive battery research and development is proceeding that should alter market forces and make electric vehicles more attractive to segments of the population not now in the market for an electric vehicle. Hence, even if the timeline for battery improvement cannot be predicted with certainty, continued government support, and upstart automakers, such as Tesla, should ensure that the transformation will proceed over time.
Jack Barkenbus. Prospects for Electric Vehicles. Sustainability 2020, 12, 5813 .
AMA StyleJack Barkenbus. Prospects for Electric Vehicles. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (14):5813.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJack Barkenbus. 2020. "Prospects for Electric Vehicles." Sustainability 12, no. 14: 5813.
This is a study of how indoor temperature settings have changed over time in the United States based on data from the Energy Information Administration’s, Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS). It is shown that Americans have moderately raised indoor temperature settings during the heating season over the past thirty years. It is also shown that most Americans keep their homes relatively cool in the summertime and are generally averse to implementing temperature setbacks. It is revealed that occupants in lower-income homes tend to set their thermostats higher in winter than other income groups, but that the most intense cooling tends to take place in both low-income and high-income homes. As expected, renters tend to heat and cool more intensively than homeowners. Getting Americans to change their temperature settings in order to save energy is not easy even though it comes with the promise of financial savings. The use of programmable thermostats thus far has proved unsuccessful. Greater utilization of social marketing to achieve energy savings is suggested, as well as a renewed effort on the part of electricity suppliers to work more closely with homeowners as part of the rollout of the “smart grid”.
Jack Barkenbus. Indoor Thermal Comfort: The Behavioral Component. Sustainability 2013, 5, 1680 -1699.
AMA StyleJack Barkenbus. Indoor Thermal Comfort: The Behavioral Component. Sustainability. 2013; 5 (4):1680-1699.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJack Barkenbus. 2013. "Indoor Thermal Comfort: The Behavioral Component." Sustainability 5, no. 4: 1680-1699.
The actions individuals can take to mitigate climate change are, in the aggregate, significant. Mobilizing individuals to respond personally to climate change, therefore, must be a complementary approach to a nation's climate change strategy. One action item overlooked in the United States has been changing driver behavior or style such that eco-driving becomes the norm rather than the exception. Evidence to date indicates that eco-driving can reduce fuel consumption by 10%, on average and over time, thereby reducing CO2 emissions from driving by an equivalent percentage. A sophisticated, multi-dimensional campaign, going well beyond what has been attempted thus far, will be required to achieve such savings on a large scale, however, involving education (especially involving the use of feedback devices), regulation, fiscal incentives, and social norm reinforcement.
Jack N. Barkenbus. Eco-driving: An overlooked climate change initiative. Energy Policy 2010, 38, 762 -769.
AMA StyleJack N. Barkenbus. Eco-driving: An overlooked climate change initiative. Energy Policy. 2010; 38 (2):762-769.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJack N. Barkenbus. 2010. "Eco-driving: An overlooked climate change initiative." Energy Policy 38, no. 2: 762-769.
The transition from oil to electricity for personal transportation is underway with virtually every automaker now seeking to produce an electrical automobile, of some form, under its brand. The pace of this transition, however, is dependent upon both technical and institutional changes. Electricity has the opportunity to play both a disruptive role in transportation and a transformational role in renewable energy, to the benefit of moderating climate change. In transportation, electricity can be both a cleaner and cheaper fuel than petroleum. Moreover, automobile batteries can play a pivotal role in enhancing the use of renewable energies in our daily lives. Development of the full potential of this transformation awaits the formulation of an innovative and clever business plan or value package that integrates the automobile industry with a changing electricity sector.
Jack N Barkenbus. Our electric automotive future: CO2 savings through a disruptive technology. Policy and Society 2009, 27, 399 -410.
AMA StyleJack N Barkenbus. Our electric automotive future: CO2 savings through a disruptive technology. Policy and Society. 2009; 27 (4):399-410.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJack N Barkenbus. 2009. "Our electric automotive future: CO2 savings through a disruptive technology." Policy and Society 27, no. 4: 399-410.