Ecopol Project - Portland State University

Renewable Energy: Making Electric Vehicles even Greener

Electric cars are a great alternative to the oil-burning, earth polluting traditional cars you see on the roads today. Electric cars have virtually zero emissions, however, when the electricity to run an EV is produced, it is mostly done so by burning coal; in fact about 50% of the electricity produced in the U.S. is from burning coal. Electricity can be produced in much more cleaner, and greener ways; by using renewable energy.
Renewable energy means that the resource (like water, wind, and the sun) can be used again, and again, unlike coal or oil which is burned into the atmosphere never to be used again. Currently the U.S. only uses about 5-10% renewables in its electricity production. One way you can help this effort is to sign up for renewable energy with your local electric company (like PGE in Portland Oregon)
http://www.portlandgeneral.com/renewables_efficiency/renewable_energy/default.aspx.

Check out even more about the different sources of renewable energy here:
http://www.nationalatlas.gov/articles/people/a_energy.html

Theresa Walter