Principal Solar's Michael Gorton explains how utilities can plan for electric vehicles so that this disruptive technology serves their system, increases revenue, and improves customer satisfaction. In the push to reduce CO2 emissions in the United States, consumers are purchasing electric vehicles (EVs) at an unprecedented rate, with the newest … [Read more...]
New National Research Council Study Delivers Roadmap to Put Electric Cars into Fast Lane
April 27, 2015 By
NRDC's Roland Hwang explains what it will take to get consumers to accept electric cars more readily, and the work by a national council to get us there. Our country faces the important challenges of overcoming our oil dependency and cutting carbon pollution. Fortunately, as confirmed by a new National Research Council (of the National Academies … [Read more...]
The Electric Vehicle as a Power Plant: A California Utility Shows How it’s Done
February 25, 2015 By
For years we’ve heard about a future where our cars become sort of like mini-power plants. And now San Diego Gas & Electric is showing how it’s done. The California utility has begun bidding resources from a group of electric vehicles and energy storage systems into the state’s wholesale power market. The pilot program, one of the first … [Read more...]
US Air Force Unveils World’s Largest Electric Vehicle-to-Grid Fleet
November 14, 2014 By
And so it begins. For years we've talked about the profound change the electric vehicle will bring to the power grid. And now, in Los Angeles the military will show how it's done with the world's largest vehicle-to-grid project to date. The Los Angeles Air Force Base in California (LAAFB) has acquired 42 plug-in electric vehicles (PHEVs), the … [Read more...]
V2G Has a Role in Your Microgrid Strategy
October 17, 2014 By
Vehicle to Grid, or V2G, technology can play a key role in a microgrid's ability to provide grid reliability. Each electric car can send up to 10 kW of power back to the grid. Organizations with large fleets of electric cars can provide a balancing reserve to a utility – reducing the need for energy generation construction. A V2G charging station … [Read more...]
Utilities Should Follow This Example to Support EV Use
September 30, 2014 By
How does NV Energy use EVs to generate new electricity sales? And what economic benefits are the company's customers reaping? In this podcast, Mike Salisbury, transportation program associate with Southwest Energy Efficiency Project describes what the company is doing right — and what's needed from states to boost EV use. … [Read more...]
Money, Microgrids and More Green Tech Plans in Massachusetts
January 20, 2014 By
New opportunities appear on the horizon in Massachusetts for companies that offer microgrids, smart meters, energy storage, electric vehicles and other efficiency technologies. The opportunities are arising on three tracks, as the state looks to improve its grid. First, Governor Deval Patrick has okayed $40 million to make the grid more … [Read more...]
Don’t Roll Out Electric Vehicles in Ugly States Yet–Unless…
July 17, 2013 By
It’s easy to make the mistake of thinking that using an electric vehicle is like taking advantage of renewable energy. People often assume that because electric vehicles don’t spew any emissions, they’re 100 percent green. However, the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project’s (SWEEP) new report, “Transportation Fuels for The Southwest,” puts an end … [Read more...]
Electric vehicles: A win for Detroit and EE
January 12, 2011 By
By Reid Smith At this week’s Detroit Auto Show, electric vehicles are on top. Two of the year’s highest-rated cars are electric. The plug-in hybrid electric Chevy Volt was awarded this year’s “Car of the Year,” just beating out the all-electric Nissan LEAF. But regardless of which car wins, the message is clear: electric cars are generating a lot … [Read more...]
