Google.org has $10 M they want to invest in your for-profit company. That is, if you have a great idea to advance sustainable transport. Google.org already gave a million to not-for-profits and launched the RechargeIT initiative. Now, Google.org wants to put some money into something that can make some money.

Google.org plans to invest as little as $500,000 per company so 20 companies may win investment. The request goes out to any company in the world "whose innovative approach, team and technologies will enable widespread commercialization of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, electric vehicles and/or vehicle-to-grid solutions." They are looking for early state technology ventures and green car product or service companies. Sounds like you? They only want 5 pages describing the product, staff, plans, etc. Deadline is October 22, 2007. Read the official request for investment proposals for more details.

Good luck.

[Source: Google's official blog via Hybrid Car Review]

As we just mentioned, in a project called RechargeIT, Google's philanthropic foundation, Google.org, is turning science potential into science fact. Up to now it has been good theory that you can power an EV or PHEV (plug in hybrid) via a solar PV array connected to the grid and, yes, you can extract power from the PV array or the vehicle, if the grid needs it. By getting power from the battery storage pack on the hybrid, the utility can better manage the overall system, perhaps taking some old, inefficient power stations out of service, hence lowering greenhouse gases and saving some money.

Google, working with Pacific Gas and Electric has set up such a system with 6 hybrids (Priuses and Escapes), one of which can supply power back to the grid. Each of them has an extended battery pack from A123Systems of Watertown, MA. This gives the vehicles the extra storage so they can go "up to 75 miles on a gallon of gas."

The implication of this system is very promising. Not only does petroleum become the back-up power source during long trips or bad weather and the utility can off-load inefficient, expensive generation equipment, but using the vehicle's power pack gives homes the ability to operate even if there is a local grid power interruption. If the interruption is extended, the hybrid can even act as a genset after the batteries are drained. Solar PV array, hybrid vehicle w/extended batteries, two-way electric flow system, hmmm, this does sound very interesting. Non-renewable (petroleum and coal) consumption could drop significantly with little change in lifestyle. Almost perfect except it doesn't solve the traffic problem, does it?

[Source: Google]

It's no secret that Google wants to get in on the green. And by that I mean the environment.

Last September, Google.org, the philanthropic part of the Internet giant, announced it would use some of its $1 billion seed money US to fight global warming by investing in companies to make a 100+ mpg ultra-efficient plug-in hybrid car. Today, we know more about the who, what, and where.

Google.org announced today something called RechargeIT (clever, that), an initiative that will, in part, give $11 million towards making plug-in hybrids easier to come by. One million is already spoken for, and the other ten will go to those who submit the best plans "to fund development, adoption and commercialization of plug-ins, fully electric cars and related vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology." Google will release the formal request for proposals (RFP) later this summer.

The first million will be distributed this way, according to the press release:

• Brookings Institution: $200,000 to support a spring 2008 conference on federal policy to promote plug-ins
• CalCars: $200,000 to support its work to educate the public about plug-ins
• Electrical Power Research Institute (EPRI): $200,000 to support its plug-in research and development program;
• Plug-In America: $100,000 to raise public awareness and advocate for plug-in transportation;
• Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI): $200,000 to enable RMI to launch the design of a practical plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, with additional support and collaboration by Alcoa, Johnson Controls, and the Turner Foundation;
• Dr. Willett Kempton, University of Delaware: $150,000 for megawatt scale vehicle-to-grid research and implementation planning.

(Does that grant to RMI mean we'll be seeing the Hypercar on the roads soon?)

The other green car news announced by Google today is the start-up of the solar panel installation at Google HQ to power the plug-in vehicles Google already has. The opening ceremony was attended by representatives from PG&E, who showcased some smart grid technology. Google employees will also be able to get free car sharing through Google Fleet. This fleet will get 100 PHEVs when they're available.

So, today we're one step closer to making 100+ mpg cars a reality for the masses. This is good news.

Related:

• Google giving away bicycles to employees
• Bank of America and Google offers employees cash for buying green cars
• Google to build solar car ports at headquarters
• Google.org supporting ultra fuel-efficient plug-in hybrid development

[Source: Google.org, thanks to everyone who sent this tip in]

With official plug-in hybrids (PHEV) looking more and more likely, one group to thank is Plug-in Partners. The organization, founded in Austin, Texas in August, 2005, has been heavily promoting PHEVs to the government, the auto industry and to individuals (perhaps you remember ex-CIA head R. James Woolsey's appearance in "Who Killed The Electric Car?" Woolsey is a spokesman for Plug-in Partners).

Another member of the Plug-in Partner organization is Roger Duncan, who serves as the Campaign Coordinator. Duncan's role is to bring the different sides of the group together, by taking, say, the online petition that individuals have signed to the automakers to show them that there is customer support for PHEVs. Treehugger got a hold of Duncan and has a lengthy interview with him here.

Duncan (along with two other PHEV proponents) reveals a few nuggets worth repeating here if you don't want click over. First, PHEVs would "require a deep discharge of their batteries, whereas fully electric cars don't need to discharge the batteries as much." Andy Frank, also part of the interview, says that he believes PHEV will remain the "ultimate end game" for the remainder of the century [for automakers]. Lastly, Plug-in Partners is "engaged in discussions with Google, but I'm not at liberty to offer any details today." (see more on Google's PHEV here)

[Source: Eckhart Beatty / Treehugger]