Author Archives: lukefrugalev

One of the main arguments for putting a whopping 100% tariff on Chinese EVs was to protect Canadian auto-jobs. The reality is more complex, as relatively few auto-sector jobs are found in car manufacturing, with the vast majority working away on aftermarket service and dealership networks. According to the Canadian government (source), the auto-industry employsContinue reading “What auto-job?”

Lately, while travelling, I bumped into a fellow EV driver queuing at a EV fast charger. This was on a Sunday, and our friendly EV driver was charging up for the week. I did ask, if they had the ability to charge at home, “but I get free charging at this fast charger” came backContinue reading “The flawed gas station mentality”

Nissan is coming out with a new revision of the Nissan LEAF. Few if any, brands have such a long history in electric vehicles. I owned both a 2015, and now a 2018 Nissan Leaf. Overall, they have been very reliable, surprisingly roomy interior wise, great operating economics, but far from a tech leader. ShouldContinue reading “A New LEAF?”

Lately, several companies starting to sell CCS to Chademo adapters, allowing Nissan Leaf owners (and those driving certain older Kia Soul’s and some Mitsubishi hybrids) to charge on CCS stations. Near Toronto, there are still ample charging stations that support Chademo cars, but along one of my routes (up to North-Bay), some of the olderContinue reading “CCS on the Leaf?”

Much hype and experimentation has existed around the concept of e-fuels. Briefly, the plan is to extract CO2, ideally from air, sprinkle in some green hydrogen and make whatever fossil fuel product is desired. That all sounds great, but runs into several practical problems, mostly around compound losses both when we turn renewables into fuelsContinue reading “E-fuels? A climate saviour or a flop?”

Thinking about going solar? Confused by the terminology? Wondering if it will all pay for itself?In that case, welcome, lets discuss these basic design terms, and use real-data from my solar array to add depth to our discussion. Briefly, I have 28, 405 W panels, with 22 located on the south facing gable of myContinue reading “Solar array design basics”

My solar panels came online recently, and with it, lets look at what has happened to my power bill. Net-metering is not available yet, as my kit is new on the market, which has resulted in some permitting delays, nevertheless, I figured Id share my experience with my battery/solar configuration, as recent incentives from theContinue reading “First electricity bill with Solar”

As Mr. Trump keeps up his rhetoric on tariffs, talk north of the border, is increasingly about oil pipelines. Briefly, the idea is to diversify Alberta’s oil exports by building pipelines to the ocean, where oil tankers could in theory take the oil anywhere. This idea runs into two practical problems: Cost of building theContinue reading “Are New Oil pipelines a good idea?”

Recently, I stumbled upon a bumper sticker on a Tesla Model 3, “I bought this before Elon went crazy” red the statement. Sure enough, these bumper-stickers have become common sight around the world, particularly in left-leaning regions, and it in someways outlines the negativity surrounding the Tesla brand, particularly in left leaning regions. Tesla’s problemContinue reading “Tesla troubles?”

Recently, we discussed the economics of rooftop solar (source). Briefly, at $3.25/Watt peak, it winds up being a break even proposition, with anticipated energy bill savings, paying for the system over its expected life. But could we somehow, do better? If rooftop solar were to be had for closer to $1/Wp, then the cost perContinue reading “Can rooftop solar be cheaper?”