This is How EVs in New York Can Drive Down Greenhouse Gas EmissionsIn New York State, transportation is responsible for 26% of the state's emissions, with passenger cars contributing a significant proportion of tailpipe pollution. Yet, in the past decades, there has been an overall decrease in emissions. However, much work is still needed to reach New York State’s statewide net-zero emission goals by 2050. In 2023, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) shared in their “Statewide Greenhouse Gas Emissions” report, which showed that greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation, buildings, and electricity sectors were 6-7 million metric tons (mmt) higher in 2021 compared to 2020. Besides their impact on our global climate, tailpipe emissions from transportation have a negative impact on air quality, and correlate with higher rates of asthma, respiratory disease, and heart disease. To decrease emissions and improve the air quality and health of New York, one critical solution is to switch to electric vehicles. Unlike gasoline-powered cars which rely on fossil fuels, electric vehicles (EVs) are powered by batteries that are plugged in to recharge—just like you would plug in your phone. By eliminating direct emissions from relying on burning gasoline in an internal combustion engine, EVs avoid spewing tailpipe emissions that contribute to poor air quality, especially in environmental justice (EJ) communities that have been historically overburdened by emissions. Addressing High Emissions During Production Stages Many argue that EVs emit excessive amounts of emissions during production stages—mainly while producing their batteries—that negate their emissions-slashing benefits once on the road. Though the production of battery packs for EVs does produce more greenhouse gas emissions than a traditional gasoline powered vehicle, we have to look in a longer lifecycle lens. In the long run, EVs make up the difference. According to a Bloomberg New Energy Finance Report on The Lifecycle Emissions of Electric Vehicles, it takes about 2-5 years of zero-emissions driving to pay back the emissions resulting from the production of the average 2023 EV. After that, EVs continue to prove to be better for the environment than gas cars. A shared sentiment from across the globe is that, in the long run, electric cars produce lower emissions than gas cars. Electricity Sources and Fuel-Cycle Emissions
According to a joint report by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, Con Edison, and the National Grid on Pathways to Carbon-Neutral NYC, it highlights the distinct electricity profiles of New York. The report illustrates that while upstate New York produces 88% of their electricity from zero-emission sources, downstate areas rely on fossil fuels for 69% of their electricity production. To add, transmission and geographic constraints prevent zero-emissions energy sources from reaching NYC.
To tackle this issue, the City of New York announced a labor agreement in 2022 to begin constructing a reliable clean energy supply from Hydro-Quebec in Canada, directly to New York City. The project, set to begin operations in 2026, is known as the Champlain Hudson Power Express. It will deliver 1,250 megawatts of clean hydroelectric power, enough to supply over one million homes, and is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 37 million metric tons statewide—the equivalent of removing more than half a million cars from the roads annually. At Mission Electric, lowering emissions by switching to electric is to improve the air quality which impacts the livelihood of everyday people in New York. Health Benefits of Zero-Emission Cars and Electricity Switching to EVs has a positive impact on New York’s public health. According to the American Lung Association, switching to 100 percent EVs and a clean electricity grid could save New York $55.2 billion in public health costs from 2020 through 2050, 127,000 fewer asthma attacks and avoid as many as 657,000 sick days. Decades of peer-reviewed research show that unhealthy air contributes to increased asthma attacks, heart attacks, strokes, lung cancer, and premature death. These negative health effects disproportionately impact communities of color and lower-income communities, who face higher exposure to transportation pollution. Transportation pollution is a major source of harmful air and climate pollution in the United States – this indicates to achieve cleaner air, we must include zero-emission vehicles in our local, state, and federal policies This is why the switch to electric is important.
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