Electric vehicles

replacement of conventional vehicle to reduce the leading cause of pollution, globally.

Dr. Asma Ali ( Ecologist)

Tata sons chairman emeritus Ratan Tata made investment in ola electric mobility, the electric vehicle unit of cab hailing major Ola. According to Ratan Tata “The electric vehicle ecosystem is evolving dramatically everyday and I believe Ola electric will play a key role in its growth and development”. Ola Cabs is an Indian origin online transportation network company, developed by ANI,Technologies Private Limited. Ola cabs was founded on 3 December 2010; till 2018 the company has expanded its network across 169 cities of India with more than 10 lakh vehicles and in January 2018 ola spreaded  its overseas market in Australia and New Zealand.

Introduction

Electric vehicles (EVs) powered through a collector system by electricity, first came into existence in the mid 19th century but increased focus on renewable energy and technological approaches it proliferated rapidly. When we compare ICE vehicle (internal combustion engine) with EVs (electric vehicles), one of the common assertion comes out all the time in our mind whether EVs are more efficient than car powered by internal combustion engine? 

         

According to the US department of  ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY; EVs convert about 59% to 62% of electric energy from the grid to power at the wheels. Conventional gasoline vehicle only convert about 17 % to 21% of the energy stored in gasoline to power at the wheel.

The charging time of an electric car can be as little as 40 minutes or more than 12 hours. This depends on the size of battery and the speed of charging.

On the other hand, if a large proportion of electric vehicle would be used in developed countries, where per capita car ownership is quite higher ( as shown in chart); it would definitely increase the demand of electricity generation. 

However overall energy consumption and emission would diminish because of the higher efficiency of EVs over the entire cycle. Steve Holliday ( CEO, National Grid PLC) said “penetration up and above that becomes a real issue. Local distribution network in cities like London may struggle to balance their grids if drivers choose to  all plug in their cars at the same time”.

List of countries by vehicles per capita

• San marina           1,263
• Monaco                    899
• New Zealand           839
• United States           837
• Iceland                      795
• Liechtenstein           773
• Australia                   747
• Luxembourg            737
• Malta                        738
• Brunei                       721
• Italy                           695
• Canada                     670
• INDIA                          22

In case of India things are quite different when we see the list of countries by vehicles per capita we can sketch out the significance of electric vehicle globally. Increased use of vehicle poses several social, economic and environmental challenges.

As we all know emission of gases from vehicle causing Lethal impact on Environment. To reduce expansion of pollution we can replace conventional cars by EVs.

  Power generated in 2016

   CHINA             6,015(TWh)

   US                   4,327(TWh)

   INDIA              1,423(TWh)

Data suggested that India is now the world's third largest electricity producer. After China ( 6,015 TWh) and US (4,327 TWh); India (1,423 TWh) generated 4.72 more electricity in 2018, when compare it with 2017 ( however power generation is not adequate as per demand).

Amitabh Kant (CEO Niti Aayog) articulated “ from the perspective of energy security and competitive advantage, new mobility solutions will reduce oil import cost, lower trade deficits and limit vulnerability to oil supply descriptions and process shocks. Finally shared, connected and clean mobility solutions will deliver a host of environmental benefits”.

    Best EVs COMPANIES

• TESLA,Inc.  is an American automobile and Energy Company based in Palo Alto, California, founded in July 1, 2003. Tesla is specialise in electric car and solar panel manufacturing. Tesla delivered over to 245,000 vehicles in 2018. The Tesla model 3 was the best selling electric car in the world in 2018 according to data firm JATO dynamics.
• BAIC (Beijing automotive industry holding Co.Ltd.) is a Chinese state owned Enterprises and holding company of several automobile and machine manufacturers, located in Beijing China.
• BYD (Build Your Dreams) is China based company established in January 2003, produces automobiles, buses, electric bicycles, rechargeable batteries and trucks. In 2012 the company became the 9th largest car manufacturer in China producing over 6,00,000 vehicles.

In this scenario as we know that we have Limited stock of fossil fuel, which is not enough to meet the rising demand. After few years, this priceless natural Treasure will be over and we will be left empty. Although we cannot completely control on the uses of natural petroleum but we can replace it with its substitute.

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lmpact of pesticides on human health

      

Thresholds of pesticides:
Dr. Asma Ali (Ecologist)

Pest are unwanted small creatures that feeds on plants and harm them. To escape from damage, farmer utilize several specific methods for pest control. To reduce or inhibit the growth of pest, pesticides are often divided in the several different categories like insecticide, fungicides, rodenticides and herbicides.

    Pesticides are potentially toxic chemical and can have both acute and chronic health effects. Impact of pest depends on the quantity and the way in which a person is exposed. Several groups of pesticides  can remain in the soil and water for many years. 

The use of lethal pesticide have been banned in the developed countries but still most of the developing countries using them.  It has been observed that more than 1000 pesticides used around the world to ensure food would not destroyed by pest. 

As importantly most of the pesticides found to be soluble in water, therefore they applied with water, where they get absorbed by the target. The higher the solubility of the pesticides, the higher the risk of leaching.

Excessive rainfall and irrigation causes pesticides and its residues to be quickly transport to contaminate groundwater and freshwater supplies over large geographical area. Irrigating saturated soils or management is critical to minimise the risk of pesticides in infiltrating groundwater.

         The Cornell University Cooperative Extension states “cleanup of groundwater contaminated by pesticides is usually impossible. The slow movement of groundwater means that it may take decades for the contaminated water to flow beyond affected wells. Determining which wells will be affected and for how long is difficult problem.”

          When we deal with pesticide it meets a variety of fates. Some may be lost to the atmosphere through volatilization, carried away to surface water by runoff or broken down in the sunlight by photosynthesis.

Pesticides in soil maybe taken up by plants degraded into other chemical forms, or leached downward  possibly to groundwater. The remainder is retained  in the soil and continues to be available for plant uptake.

   Pesticides effects on human health by many ways. Organophosphates and Carbamates affected the nervous system while some of them irritate the skin or eyes. Some pesticide maybe carcinogens and others may affect the hormone or endocrine system in the body.

  In many cases, the European Union ( EU ) regulates pesticides more deeply then Canada or the U S. The pesticides like atrazine, phosphamidon, endosulfan, triazophos, alachlor and monocrotophos are banned in many countries but are still in use in many parts of India.

The Stockholm convention banned endosulfan in more than 120 countries in 2011 including India. Sources says 18 class one pesticides ( most toxic) are currently used in India. In India enforcement of pesticide is a problem as many unapproved pesticides find their way in to fields. 

Although pesticides use has become very common worldwide, many new pest control methods are being developed. These alternative pest control methods are designed to help, control the pest population while protecting the environment and human health.

 The most common alternative pest control methods includes biological control, natural chemical control and genetic control.

In addition to these specific control method, a complex management system known as integrated pest management has also been developed. In addition, crops can be genetically altered in ways that produce chemical are physical barriers to prevent harm from pests.     

  I am at lost to understand that why are we using these banned toxic chemicals. Excess use of pesticides is going to be a helluva problem. We have many different methods to eliminate the damage of crop from these unwanted organism but we always want to take shortcut or adopt easy ways.

As mentioned by Reena Gupta (2017 November) in October 2017 about 40 farmers died and more than 700 were hospitalized in Maharashtra due to pesticide poisoning. Initial reports suggests that the death are due to monocrotophos; a highly toxic chemical been banned in more than 60 countries but allowed to be sold in our country. In this way all our past experiences are potentially available to the present. But what is pertinent here is to use alternative pest control method for sustainable development.

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