Today electric vehicles (EV) and plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEVs) don't claim a significant share of the automotive market, but that will change rapidly. Aggressive EV pilot programs are underway in Denmark, Israel, Hawaii, San Francisco and elsewhere. Every utility needs to begin understanding how it will handle the opportunities and challenges EVs will create. In this section you’ll learn more about the EV roadmap.
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In an effort to develop smart grid solutions for the Chevrolet Volt, OnStar is inviting utilities, energy companies and others to take advantage of a set of its application programming interfaces to develop new apps for Volt owners. Click inside to learn what OnStar is looking for from developers.
Materials vital for EV motors and high-efficiency wind turbines and compact fluorescent lights are in short supply, leading to concerns that those shortages could delay adoption of clean energy technologies or make them more costly. Margaret Ryan explains what the DOE hopes to do to attack the problem.
Electric vehicles are tied to the smart grid in a number of ways, so understanding the EV market and where it's going is essential. We've rounded up some recent developments in the market, from new models to new technologies and consumer attitudes – and some help for electric utilities working to accommodate the coming change in the transportation landscape.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has released the country's first set of test procedures to optimize how electric vehicles connect to the smart grid. Click inside for more information and to download the report.
The predicted impact EVs will have on the electric grid has been greatly exaggerated, according to Nicole Pennington and Nicole Naassan of UtiliWorks Consulting. They say careful planning coupled with the opportunities and technologies of the smart grid should be what it takes to successfully manage EV integration. Click inside for their insights.
The sequel to director Chris Paine’s “Who Killed the Electric Car?” is out, and Carl Ford of TMCnet.com offers a sneak peek at what this latest electric car movie is about.
An early victim of this weekend's Northeast snowstorm (and without a working fireplace), Carl Ford is looking at ways to gain some control when the power goes out. Click inside to see why he thinks an electric car may be the answer.
The Cleantech Group announced its top 100 clean technology innovators earlier this month, but this week at the Smart Energy International conference in San Francisco they zeroed in on the top three startups they believe have the potential to disrupt smart energy in the years to come. We were there, and have details on all three.
We told you that seven major car makers have agreed to use a common EV charging system, a move they say is good for EV consumers, good for the industry and good for the charging infrastructure. Click inside for SGN Chief Analyst Jesse Berst's take on why it's also very good for the Home Plug Powerline Alliance.
Utilities sweating the arrival of electric vehicles will want to hear results from some real-world pilots in Europe. Sure, there's still plenty to worry about – but SGN Analyst Jesse Berst uncovered a few "EV truths" you can cross off the list. Among them: V2G. Click for details.
IBM's research arm has teamed with Swiss electric utility provider EKZ on a pilot project that will allow consumers to charge their EVs and monitor energy costs via mobile devices. There are benefits for utilities, too. Click inside for details and a video.
Shakeups and acquisitions are nothing new in the competitive and skittish lithium-ion battery market. But as those trends continue, it appears to become easier to forecast what could shape the industry next. Brian Warshay, a research associate for Lux Research, looks at what's happening in the market and what its twists and turns probably will mean in the near future by highlighting the major changes at battery maker Boston-Power.
Seven major car makers, two from the U.S. and five German-based, have agreed to adopt a single fast charging technology, meaning their EV customers can use the same charging stations. The diverse group says common charging is good for customers and good for them and good for the industry too. So what does it mean for the smart grid? Some thoughts inside.
Within a few short years, China will be the biggest market for EVs in the Asia Pacific region — it's expected to account for almost half of the region's total sales by 2015, says Pike Research. And while Japan and other countries have relatively mature and successful EV adoption initiatives and programs, Pike says global EV industries should take advantage of the wealth of opportunities in China. Read why inside.
Are you wrestling with tough control system and substation automation problems? Need a smarter way to track field assets? Want a fast solution for analyzing day-two smart grid implementation benefits? Our latest product roundup may help; click inside for seven new smart grid solutions on the market now (or on the way soon).
TMCnet contributor Carl Ford takes a look at some interesting work being done at MIT's Lincoln Labs on the smart grid, and in particular the optimization of hybrid electric vehicle routes.
CODA, the LA-based electric vehicle and battery company, has made a series of moves to prepare for a major foray into grid storage. They include a new round of financing ($147 million!), the purchase of a battery software company and the hiring of a big-name industry veteran to run the division. Click to read the details along with Jesse Berst's thoughts about the company's prospects and challenges.
Plug-in EV adoption is expected to spread quickly over the next several years and, maybe surprisingly, smaller states should be in the forefront in terms of percentage of total vehicle sales, says Pike Research. Read the story for more on the factors that will influence where – and when – we're likely to see higher PEV concentrations.
Who doesn't like to take a peek at what someone else is doing to make their piece of the grid smarter? Click inside to learn about six smart grid projects that are tackling some tough issues – from outage management to EV range anxiety to storing renewable energy.
EPRI has recently demonstrated a proof-of-concept, medium voltage, Intelligent Universal Transformer (IUTTM) with fast charging capability in the latest prototype design. As this overview explains, EPRI believes that a medium voltage fast charging system could result in a significant opportunity for solid state transformers where the power electronics are incorporated into the transformer design.
A new report found that the Northwest could take more advantage of wind energy if more plug-in EVs were on the road. That's the word from scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Click inside to learn why they think EVs are a good fit for renewable energy integration and management.
Mitsubishi has announced a smart grid pilot project that will use EVs as "moving batteries" to help even out fluctuations in the delivery of power from renewable energy sources and to manage changing power demand peaks. There's more inside.
What happens to EV batteries after they've served their useful life in a car, but still have useful life left in them? GM and ABB are collaborating on an energy storage system that combines a proven EV battery technology and a proven grid-tied electric power inverter. SGN Chief Analyst Jesse Berst says it could be a great boon to utilities and EV owners. Find out why.
Electric vehicles and charging remain in the spotlight as the Plug-In Conference continues in Raleigh, N.C. this week. We’ve got highlights, including a 120-page technical report from EPRI that should answer questions utilities are asking about their role in EV integration.
With the Plug-In Conference under way this week in Raleigh we're seeing a flurry of announcements from the EV charging front, including GE's plan to sell its WattStation wall-mount units at Lowe's stores. Also interesting are two new attempts to cure range anxiety – one a GPS-like service, the other a portable charging unit. Learn more inside.
We're getting mixed signals about the vitality of the smart grid market. On the one hand, the recent DistribuTECH conference was one of the most successful ever. On the other, a well-known Wall Street analyst recently told his clients that the smart metering sector is "facing several headwinds," including weak regulatory support in the U.S. and delays in European adoption. Taking the pulse of the smart grid industry is this week's Tuesday Topic.
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