Catalytic converters DID clean up the air, I even noticed that in Florida, but they did nothing to cut back on oil consumption. The only way to cut back on oil consumption is to use less of it, i.e., smaller cars and less of them. And smaller and less cars means less tailpipe emissions, too. If we had all switched to compacts and started taking the bus in 1970, we'd have another couple of decades to solve this problem.

Electric cars will cut back on oil consumption ONLY if the increased electricity demands of the transportation sector are met by increased capacity in power generation. So far, this increased capacity has come from fossil fuels. The energy derived from renewable sources has increased enormously in absolute terms, but not in relative terms. In spite of the increased use of renewables, we still are burning more oil and coal than ever.

The real rightwing talking point here is we don't have to worry about big energy guzzling SUVs because they'll all switch to electricity and the windmills will all be online by 2030. In other words, we can continue selling the big, inefficient (but highly profitable) personal transport the American public is addicted to.

Florida would be uninhabitable without air conditioning. But as the planet warms up, its widespread use will be more and more common further and further north. I suspect this alleged bounty of renewable electric power will all be diverted to keeping our buildings livable.

As for that 2030 figure, I don't believe it. I don't even see any evidence of a trend in that direction. Every new year shows only an increase in fossil fuel consumption, the benefit from solar, wind, hydro, nuclear and geothermal doesn't even dent it. The real savings will come from mass transport and conservation, like altering our building construction so it is less reliant on A/C. People lived in Florida without air conditioning for centuries by dressing for it, and building houses and buildings to be naturally cooler.

Renewables will help, but the only way to slow down global warming is to use less energy. Unfortunately, the only way to increase corporate profit is to use more of it.