EVs Prove Their Merits in 2012
Posted on December 19, 2012 by Stephanie Levine
Tags, Emerging Technologies
As the year comes to an end, cities and states all over the country are making Electric Vehicles (EVs) a priority for their transportation future. In Chicago, Mayor Rahm Emanuel has revealed a voucher program that encourages private firms to convert their diesel fleets to run on alternative fuels. Across the border in Indianapolis, Mayor Greg Ballard has signed a mandate that will transition the city’s fleet of 500 cars to EVs, as well as a plan to develop the nation’s first plug-in hybrid police car. The city projects that just switching the police fleet alone could save Indianapolis tax payers $10 million a year in fuel costs. Ballard’s mandate is motivated by a desire to diversify transportation fuels with domestic, and even local, options.
This sentiment is prevalent all over the country, and especially here in Oregon. Governor Kitzhaber’s 10-Year Energy Action Plan, released this week, outlines Oregon’s commitment to accelerate fleet turnover to alternative fuel vehicles. The governor’s plan calls for legislative action to create incentives for personal and commercial EV adoption, as well as continued local research & development on alternative fuel technologies. This support for EVs is exciting, but even more importantly, the plan calls for an expansion of Smart Grid capacity in the state.
Expanding Smart Grid technology through the modernization of our aging electrical grid is essential for maximizing the environmental benefits that EVs can provide. With smart metering, EVs can communicate with the grid in order to utilize electricity that is produced by renewable sources. Additionally, with two-way communication that utilizes the Smart Grid, EV batteries can provide backup services to the grid. These backup services have the potential to eliminate the need for other services that are more carbon intensive. If an EV battery has been charged throughout the night using only hydroelectric and wind power, it is then full of carbon-free energy that can be returned to the grid to help match a clean energy resource with consumer need. There are even pilot programs being tested where EV owners can be compensated for the backup services that their EV batteries supply the grid. With these pilot programs, many EV owners will essentially operate their EVs for free, as the service provided by their car covers their charging costs. With an intelligent electrical grid in our state, programs like these can be an option for the near future.
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03/31/17 | 0 Comments | EVs Prove Their Merits in 2012