We are blessed in a few areas around here. Good group of County Commissioners, the Assessor is about as good as you can get. Several other places you can point to as well.
Such is also the case with our local PUD. You never see me writing anything about them as they just do a good job. Even down to the trimming of the trees by the power lines.
In their recent newsletter, May 2022, District One Commissioner Arie Callaghan, penned an op-ed on the viability of electric cars and the county. Without going into too much detail he hit the nail firmly on the head.
To paraphrase, hey, we all like the idea of electric cars…but hold on….where are you going to charge them…..and where are you going to get the electricity.
He is right on the money.
Everybody loves the idea, but the reality is something quite different.
Great if you own a home with a driveway, and have the money to put in a private electric charging station. Assuming you can get the permit that is.
Great if you can afford the 50k to buy one.
Not so great if you live in an apartment or have to park on the street.
Not so great if you don’t have the 50k to buy one.
Not so great if you ever have to drive more than say 300 miles.
The reality is going to come crashing down on people soon enough as to exactly where the electricity is going to come from to charge all the cars. If people think the PUD can just pull it out of thin air, you be dreaming. Everywhere else is going to be scrambling for enough electricity to charge the cars in their own areas. Its going to be every man for himself.
And the cost to your average home electricity bill? Remember……the less of something there is….the more it costs. Someone is going to have to pay for the trillions in new infrastructure. That would be you.
We are lucky that people like Arie are out there. Calm, steady, looking at the big picture. But its only by luck he is there keeping an eye on this. He can chuck it all in and just go fishing tomorrow.
This isn’t a problem for people our age. This is your problem. It may be fun to dream and wish the world was the way you want it to be and dance on a rainbow. The real world is about to bite you on your ass, you better wake up.
UPDATE: Got an email that I thought was well thought out. What is going to happen is people will be running electric chords from their house, over the lawn, and onto the street. As most people don’t have a driveway. It is going to be lawsuit city. Any bus bench lawyer is going to have a field day.
Montesano Today 