Alternate Energy Sourcing - Electric Buses

14.01.11: Part of the sourcing of energy is the increased need for energy as world population grows.
What if we had a dramatic decrease in world-wide need for energy.
Would this reduce the emphasis on oil? No, in my opinion, it would only decrease the pressure to find oil alternatives.

Regardless, progress is being made on alternate sourcing in major cities. 

On Jan 8th, the BBC reported on wireless (inductive) charging of city electric buses in a city 90km north of London. The buses carry 800,000 passengers a year. The buses are required to stop for 10 minutes every loop of their 25km route.



While the need to stop for 10 minutes isn't a concern, Bombardier's PRIMOVE system appears better as it doesn't require stopping. It has been in test mode since 2010 (on an 800 metre light-rail line in Augsburg Germany).

Another wireless electric system (Conductix-Wampfler's IPT technology) has been in use in Genoa and Turin Italy (200km) since 2003. IPT uses magnetic resonance which recharges the batteries while passengers are getting on/off.

In Gumi Korea, a couple of buses travel 24km using magnetic resonance via online electric vehicle (OLEV) technology in 2013. 
The plan is to increase to 10 buses by 2015.