A company looking to purchase an electric-powered delivery truck today will likely experience some sticker shock: Such a vehicle costs nearly $150,000, compared to about $50,000 for the same kind of truck with a standard internal-combustion engine. But before long — perhaps surprisingly — it’s a purchase that should pay for itself. That’s the conclusion Continue reading →
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Endesa has developed a prototype V2G (Vehicle to Grid) charger that enables electric vehicles to return stored wind power to the grid. This technology could be a reality in 2020, and would allow electric vehicle users to sell surplus energy. via REVE – Regulación Eólica con Vehículos Eléctricos -.
It wasn’t just the environmental benefits that motivated Coquitlam’s Bill and Nicole Clendinning to buy the first all-electric Nissan Leaf in B.C. back in October; saving money also played a role. “We figure based on our driving experience, that we are saving about three-and-a-half tonnes a year of CO2 emissions,” said Bill Clendinning. “In the Continue reading →
By the end of the year, researchers should have the opportunity to test renewables and other smart grid technologies before hooking them up to the electric grid. DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory is building a series of electrically interconnected laboratories researchers can use to test their technologies in simulated and real settings. via Smart Grid: Continue reading →
The Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) has launched a program designed to help business customers save significant money on their electric bills while helping the utility maintain reliability and add more renewable energy to the grid. The Fast Demand Response (Fast DR) pilot rewards commercial and industrial customers that designate nonessential facilities that can be turned Continue reading →
A company looking to purchase an electric-powered delivery truck today will likely experience some sticker shock: Such a vehicle costs nearly $150,000, compared to about $50,000 for the same kind of truck with a standard internal-combustion engine. But before long — perhaps surprisingly — it’s a purchase that should pay for itself. That’s the conclusion Continue reading →
In the US historically electric power utilities have attempted to build enough capacity to meet peak load. For example, California uses 5% of its electric power generation capacity less than 50 hours a year. But peakers, as the power plants are called that are only fired up to meet peak load – typically on a Continue reading →
In 2011, the first plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) went into production to add the next level of electric-only drive to the steadily growing popularity of the hybrid assist vehicle. Large lithium-ion battery production facilities came online in a number of countries around the world to support the anticipated demand fueled in many countries by Continue reading →
A new survey indicates that Gen Y consumers—a.k.a., Millenials, those born roughly between 1982 and 1993—are more interested in hybrids and electric cars than they are in traditional, gas-powered automobiles. The problem, from the automaker’s point of view, is that thus far consumers in this age demographic haven’t shown nearly as much interest in cars Continue reading →
The array of initiatives such as the “Plugged-in Place” project and eco incentive programs in diverse locations of the United Kingdom have made the ownership and the use of electric vehicles a reasonable option. The support of more than 40 regional partners across both public and private sectors along with a remarkable funding of £7.8 Continue reading →
The price of solar electric systems has fallen rapidly in recent years, making solar energy more accessible than ever. In 2010, the installed cost of residential and commercial solar photovoltaic power systems fell by 17 percent from the previous year, falling an additional 11 percent in the first half of 2011, according to a report Continue reading →
Cisco this week expanded its smart grid portfolio for utilities with a reference architecture, products and services intended to modernize the electric grid. Cisco unveiled the GridBlocks Architecture, a blueprint for integrating digital communications and the electric grid, including support for legacy utility communications networks. Cisco also rolled out field area network (FAN) equipment and Continue reading →
The Metal and Engineering Corporation of Ethiopia has agreed to replace the electric meters operated by the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation. The project is valued at nine billion birr and will exchange electric meters for new ‘smart’ meters. The new ‘smart’ digital meters are expected to automatically register electric consumption and report back to EEPCo Continue reading →
School kids can now hop on to the electric-vehicle bandwagon with TransTech’s all-electric bus. The 42-passenger bus looks similar to the standard school bus, though it runs on a pair of 278-volt lithium ion batteries that power its 120kW (161 horespower) electric motor. The bus has a range of about 120 miles on a single Continue reading →
As part of the Department of Energy’s Recovery-funded efforts to accelerate the modernization of the country’s electric grid, approximately nine million smart meters have already been installed in homes and businesses nationwide. Ultimately, DOE’s goal is to have 15.5 million installed. via Nine Million Smart Meters Installed Nationwide « Recovery Blog.
A lack of standards and increasingly aggressive attackers will pose some challenges to electric utilities trying to monitor and secure smart grids, according to a recent report. via Smart Grid Operators Need to Integrate Processes for Security, Compliance – Latest News.
Often thought of as too expensive or sophisticated for the average driver, plug-in electric vehicles will soon be available even to the occasional driver. Israel’s largest car rental company, Eldan, signed an agreement with Better Place electric vehicle company on December 5, making hundreds of Renault Fluence Z.E. electric cars available to the general public Continue reading →
This was supposed to be a big year for energy-related technology. It was supposed to mark the ascendance of the electric car as the first full year of sales for GM’s Volt and Nissan’s Leaf, which represent the leading edge of electric vehicles planned by major automakers. But GM fell far short of its sales Continue reading →
2011 has turned out to be a groundbreaking year for electric vehicles—literally. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) earlier this week chose a shopping center in Bellingham as the first location to break ground on the state’s segment of the West Coast Electric Highway, part of a 444-kilometer stretch of road along Interstate 5 Continue reading →
GE Global Research, the research and development division of General Electric (NYSE: GE), has received a $1.36 million federal grant to study and improve the efficiency of electric vehicles (EVs). Researchers are studying the impact of EV grid integration activities on homes and the electric grid. According to GE researchers, charging electric vehicles requires one Continue reading →
