[LINK] plug-in-hybrid-vehicles and grids

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

In 2010, Ford will sell a plug-in-hybrid-vehicle Ford Transit van.

And in 2011, a battery-electric Ford Focus.

Does Australia have greener, off-peak, home water-heater/car-recharging 
electricity capacities as yet? If so, we need electric car smart meters.

Or, does old-original-smokey, Hazelwood Station, power this next Focus?

--

Effects of plug-in hybrid vehicles on New York’s electric grid to be
analysed

http://www.renewableenergymagazine.com    24/8/2009


The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) 
has joined with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to conduct a 
new engineering study of the effects that "plug-in hybrid vehicles" or 
(PHEV) might have on the State’s electrical grid. 

The study will complement a parallel national study ..  in New York 
State, of particular interest is the impact on downstate, metropolitan 
New York grids due to the concentrated electric demand and vehicle 
population. 

It is anticipated that the study will illuminate the implications of, and 
help plan for, the increased-market penetration of PHEVs. 

Francis J. Murray, Jr., NYSERDA President and CEO said, "PHEVs is a way 
to reduce our use of fossil fuel and complement grid usage."

"PHEVs can serve as a high-value customer for wind power by recharging 
overnight when demand and rates are low, and wind power is most 
plentiful,” he said.  

"PHEVs are capable of achieving very high fuel economy, in some cases 
exceeding 100 miles per gallon of gasoline, at a reduced vehicle fuelling 
cost and with reduced atmospheric emissions.

As PHEV penetration levels increase, the aggregated impact on the grid 
and associated emissions could be substantial. 

While the implications of increased penetration of PHEVs have been 
studied generally at a national level and in several more localised 
regions, the specific impact on New York State has not yet been fully 
understood." 

Four items will be addressed: 

1) identification of the ‘base-case’ scenario of transmission / 
distribution capacity, assuming no PHEV penetration; 

2) identification of several realistic PHEV penetration scenarios, 
including vehicle characteristics and required load support; 

3) identification of grid, environmental, and financial impacts of the 
various penetration scenarios; and 

4) implications of vehicle-to-grid (“V2G” or reverse charging) 
applications, also known as utility aggregated load control. 

"Our analysis will develop the definitive assessment of the impact of 
both introducing and the widespread use of PHEVs onto the transmission 
and distribution systems,” said Arshad Mansoor, vice president of Power 
Delivery and Utilization at EPRI. 

“This grid assessment is another crucial step that will lead to 
commercialization of PHEVs, and NYSERDA deserves a lot of credit for 
taking this important initiative.” 

Future Ford PHEV's will “talk” to the power grid 

In parallel with the grid impact study, NYSERDA is partnering with EPRI 
and Ford Motor Company to test a Ford PHEV prototype. 

Over the course of this project, which is slated to run into 2012, 
various components onboard the prototype will be revised to test various 
technical options, including vehicle–to-grid (V2G) capabilities. 

Power grids are sensitive beasts which are prone to collapse if demand 
peaks too quickly. 

Smart grids and variable pricing are being developed to mitigate this 
problem, although the power grid could be subject to major strains in the 
future as more and more electric vehicles are connected to the grid to 
charge up. 

Ford hopes to ease this strain through its upcoming hybrid electric 
vehicles – including the 2012 PHEV Escape, 2010 Transit Connect 
commercial van, and battery electric 2011 Ford Focus – which can "talk" 
to the electric grid via wirelessly connected smart meters. 

Thank to collaborations with multiple utility partners (and a $30 million 
DOE grant for grid integration), these vehicles will enable drivers to 
use the in-dash navigational computer to decide when vehicles should 
recharge, for how long, and at what utility rate. 

For example, a driver could choose to charge their car in the middle of 
the night to reduce strain on the grid and benefit from lower electricity 
prices.

--

Cheers,
Stephen