Please analyze the carbon footprint of gasoline and electric cars based on the s

Question

Please analyze the carbon footprint of gasoline and electric cars based on the scenario given below and draw your conclusion on whether you think an electric car is more “sustainable” than gasoline cars.

a.Gasoline car with 20% energy efficiency based on HHV of gasoline combustion

b.Electric car with 60% energy efficiency(electricity from a coal-fired power plant with 33% Energy Efficiency, and coal source contains 60% Carbon)

c.Electric car with 60% energy efficiency (electricity from a gas power plant as in with 40% Energy Efficiency, and coal source contains 100% Carbon).

Explanation / Answer

a) If we need 100 units of kWh then, we need to use 100 / 0.20 = 500 units of kWh

Gallon of gasoline generates 73.54 kWh and

Gallon of gasoline during generates 8.89041 kg of Carbon. So the carbon for print will be,

= 8.89041 / 73.54 = 0.12089 kg of C/kWh.

So the carbon generated will be, 500 * 0.12089 = 60.445 kg

b) If we need 100 units of kWh then, we need to use 100 / 0.60 = 167 units of kWh

approx. 8 kWh of heat can be generated from 1 kg of coal but we have efficency of 33% so we can generate only 8*0.33 = 2.64 kWh

so we need 167/2.64 = 63.25 kg of coal and it has 60% carbon

So the carbon generated will be, 63.25 * 0.60 = 37.95 kg

c) If we need 100 units of kWh then, we need to use 100 / 0.60 = 167 units of kWh

approx. 8 kWh of heat can be generated from 1 kg of coal but we have efficency of 40% so we can generate only 8*0.40 = 3.2 kWh

so we need 167/3.2 = 52.1875 kg of coal and it has 100% carbon

So the carbon generated will be, 52.1875 kg

So the most sustainable choice will be option B

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