Given an on-the-grid, non-solar house, is it more energy efficient to charge your phone in your house or in your car? If there would be a difference for gas-powered and electric vehicles, please explain that as well.
In: Technology
A car engine has a thermal efficiency of somewhere in the region of 25%. A coal fired power station is about 40% and a gas fired power station about 60%. Most power grids in the developed world have a significant contribution from one or more of wind, solar, hydro or nuclear, which are all carbon emissions free. So the grid is going to be significantly less polluting in almost all cases than a car. For an electric car, the conversion of grid to car battery to phone charger will make it less efficient than charging the phone directly from whatever power source charged the car.
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