Feb. 2, 2009 -- Electric cars, touted as a way to save the environment, still draw power off the electric grid. Now scientists from the University of Delaware have come up with a way for electric cars to store, and then give back, electricity back to the power grid. WATCH VIDEO: A car doubles as a mini power station. "The cars become an instant reservoir of available electricity," said Willett Kempton, a professor at the University of Delaware leading the project. "Half the time we are pulling power off the grid during low usage times, and putting power back on the grid during the other half." Current plans call for a fleet of six modified Toyota Scion XBs. The boxy-looking vehicles will have their internal combustion parts replaced with new electric drive trains, batteries, engine and plugs. The garages and parking spaces for the cars will also be modified to store and power the electric vehicles. Right now the plan is still in what Kempton calls a "R and D phase." The cars won't actually be on the road until this summer. But once they are they would quickly help relieve stress on the grid. Kempton estimates that his fully charged Scion will be able to power ten nearby houses, once it's on the road. Related Content: Get the Latest in Science and Tech News From Discovery Discovery Tech Wide Angle: Electric Car Grid Puzzle: Electric Cars Get the Look HowStuffWorks.com: Electricity Grids Electric Cars Get a Makeover Storing electricity for the electric company is nice for the electric company, but also for customers. Kempton will get a small check each month for storing and providing power back to the grid. It won't be much, "maybe enough to cover the initial expense," said Kempton. But with more cars, those checks could become substantial, said Kempton, up to $2,000 or more each year for car owners. More than 200 cars would be necessary before consumers could make a meaningful profit. The more cars storing grid power, the more consumers can expect to make. However, to profit consumers will also have to adjust their driving habits and monitor their energy consumption more closely. An artificial intelligent software package will manage the energy inside the car and learn about when and how far the driver typically drives to maintain optimal power levels for car owners and for grid consumers. The system will work best when it knows what to expect, say, driving to work everyday at around 8:00 a.m. and coming home at 5:30 p.m., the software will make sure the car switches from giving power to storing power for the drive. |
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Get the Wide Angle on Electric Car Grids
Video: Electric Car Feeds Grid. V2G
technology can turn an electric car into a moving power station. Jorge
Ribas rides shotgun with Willett Kempton, the man behind the concept.
Blog: Super Duper Sustainable Stuff: Vehicle to Grid Faces Speed Bumps. Wouldn't it be awesome if we could have a two-way charging system when electric vehicles become widely available? That way the cars could store some power and serve as a backup electricity source in a pinch. Fortunately, vehicle to grid or V2G, is in the works. Unfortunately, it faces myriad challenges before it becomes a national reality. Puzzle: Electric Cars Got the Look. Electric cars come in all shapes and sizes, from sporty to practical to manly. Check out the styles and then do the puzzle. Podcast: Engineering Works! Fill Up on Electricity. Engineers and entrepreneurs are combining engineering and futuristic business plans to make electricity work. One company, Better Place, is looking at cars and electricity the same way we look at cell phones and minutes. Instead of selling cars and gasoline, their idea is to sell mobility. You buy or lease your car and download electricity just like you download music. And maybe best of all, the electricity comes from solar and wind power. Put Discovery News on Your Site!
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