Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid
American Electric Power says grid ready for PHEVs
Michael Morris, Chairman and CEO of American Electric Power, believes that the U.S. electrical grid is capable of supporting up to 60 million plug-in hybrid vehicles right now. In a speech at the Detroit Economic Club, the chief of the biggest electricity supplier in the United States said that up to 20 percent of the U.S. vehicle fleet could be switched over to plug-in capability and the grid would be fine. Like other proponents of plug-in vehicles, Morris feels that PHEVs would actually help improve load balancing on the grid if they are plugged in during off-peak hours. Of course, getting the maximum benefit from this would require large numbers of plug-ins, as well as implementation of smart meters that could optimize charging during those off-peak times while limiting the load during the day. Such meters could also potentially support vehicle-to-grid technology. Ford is currently testing a plug-in version of the Escape hybrid with Southern California Edison while GM plans to introduce a plug-in version of the Saturn Vue 2-Mode hybrid in late 2009, followed by the Volt in 2010. Toyota will also start fleet tests of a plug-in Prius in 2010.
[Source: Ward's Auto World]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Joce03 4:10PM (7/16/2008)
I guess we're all out of excuses now : )
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Mike 4:21PM (7/16/2008)
Joce03
I couldnt have said it better. Isn't it amazing, how many and how fast these hybrids and plug-ins Ford and GM are coming out with now. When a year or so ago they said they can't do it. It will take years and maybe by 2020 we can have one on the roads. LIARS!!!!!!!
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gholland 4:39PM (7/17/2008)
"...Liars?"
...because there are sooo many plug-in vehicles on the road now. I'm prepared to be wrong, but I thought GM, et al. said it did not make fiscal sense to bring plug-ins to market, not that they couldn't do it.
Because you read blogs such as these and perhaps follow the industry you are under the mis-perception that sooo many plug-ins and even hybrids are on the road.
"In 2007, a total of 541,000 hybrids were produced"
"The world's fleet of passenger vehicles is now an estimated 622 million"
-http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5461
Anth 4:52PM (7/16/2008)
I read a PDF from Pacific Northwest Labs (http://www.pnl.gov/energy/eed/etd/pdfs/phev_feasibility_analysis_combined.pdf) showing that up to 43% of today's light duty vehicles (passenger, etc) could be switched to PHEV if you let them charge overnight (6p-6a).
20% would only be half this capacity.
It can happen, we just need to get our act together.
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wildgoosechase73 5:02PM (7/16/2008)
As far as load balancing, that also means that powerplant will not be able to shut down generators overnight for maintenace.
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EvPal 5:56PM (7/16/2008)
Re : "load balancing"
See Altairnano and AES announcement,http://www.b2i.us/irpass.asp?ResLibraryID=25257&BzID=546&L=1&s=0&c=1183&Nav=0
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GreyFlcn 6:18PM (7/16/2008)
Well duh.
DOE says that 70% of the US car fleet could be supported if it were electric.
http://www.pnl.gov/news/release.asp?id=204
Merely 20% would be dumb simple.
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D-GOD 10:35PM (7/16/2008)
Of course it is!
If we plug in instead of use gas, will will SAVE electricity.
It takes the energy to run a Tesla 200+ miles, just to refine ONE gallon of gasoline!!!
So pluggin in will not use gas AND save electricity.
Its crazy politicians won't admit the facts!
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GoodCheer 9:57AM (7/17/2008)
I have heard this claimed before, but in trying to track it down I have been unable to find any documentation that comes close to this number. Do you have a source? I'd love to see it.
-thanks
Bah 12:37PM (7/17/2008)
I will not buy a vehicle with this vehicle-to-grid idea. Sure, I'd get a credit for the range they are stealing from my "tank" but the problem is that if I had my car on charge for sufficient time, I expect to get in and it to have a full charge, not be powering my neighbors a/c.
That aside, I am all for an EV as soon as they can be made both affordable and practical.
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