Wed, Sep 29, 2010 page8

• [ LETTERS ]

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  Myth of electric cars

  Several models of electric car will enter the US market this fall. People tend to believe that electric cars are green or environmentally friendly, but this is not entirely true.

  Electric cars do not necessarily reduce carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxide emissions in comparison to gasoline cars. These pollutant oxides are sometimes referred as COx, SOx and NOx, respectively. The COx may also include carbon monoxide and the SOx sulfur trioxide.

  Most of the electricity used in the US is generated from coal. Three parts of coal energy can produce only one part of electric energy. Because of the high cost, carbon dioxide is not removed at all from flue gas in coal-fired power plants except in a few research, development and demonstration projects.

  Carbon dioxide emissions from coal are the highest, followed by oil, natural gas, regenerable fuels and nuclear energy. Thus, an electric car using electricity generated from coal emits more carbon dioxide than a gasoline car does.

  In coal-fired power plants, sulfur dioxide is generally removed from flue gas. In oil refineries, crude oil is also desulfurized when making gasoline. As a result, sulfur dioxide emissions are virtually zero for both electric and gasoline cars.

  Nitrogen oxides are seldom removed from coal flue gas, again because of the increased cost, although processes like selective catalytic reduction, which uses ammonia to reduce nitrogen oxides into nitrogen, are commercially available.

  An electric car does not emit nitrogen oxides when the car is driven, but coal-fired power plants generating electricity do cause nitrogen oxide emissions. A gasoline car has a catalytic converter to take care of both nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide emissions.

  It is well known that sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides cause acid rain and the latter is also responsible for smog, but the environmental impact of carbon dioxide on global warming is still controversial. Many people believe that Typhoons Morakot and Fanapi were caused by cyclical climate change rather than the increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the air. If this diagnosis is correct, a carbon tax is the wrong approach for climate change and will only serve to increase the cost of energy with little or no benefit in terms of controlling climate change.

  The effects of carbon dioxide need to be clarified scientifically and independently of politics. If carbon dioxide is not an issue, electric cars can make use of the enormous US coal reserves and foreign oil imports can be reduced. At the same time, further research is still needed into fast battery charging, increased battery capacity and reduced vehicle costs.

  CHARLES HONG

  Columbus, Ohio

  Legal madness

  Many people in Taiwan make fun of, deplore and condemn the judicial process here. The judiciary has certainly had a number of disappointing “outcomes” recently.

  Just today, I read about a 14 year old child who was adept enough to use a government run Web site, copy a report and then paste it onto a different site (which he registered in another country ... smart move) (“Teenager faces jail term for spreading false information,” Sept. 24, page 2).

  The notice was spread through social media sites such as Plurk and led many people to read that Typhoon Fanapi would result in schools being closed for a whole year. A prank.

  The story went on to say that a captain in the criminal investigation bureau said this teenager faced up to seven years in prison.

  Sad, really, when you think that a child molester or rapist received a three-year sentence (and a few months to be correct) in another case that has disturbed quite a few people.

  It boggles the mind how judges, prosecutors and others in Taiwan feel that they know how certain crimes should be punished.

  If you ask me, 14-year-olds can’t really think about consequences ... they are too busy exploring, learning and having adventures. To throw this kid in jail and have a rapist out in half the time is madness!

  HARRY ADAMOPOULOS

  Taipei
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