Not long ago, several important companies with interests in the utility and energy businesses created the GridWise Alliance. The group, which recently added fifteen new members (still no CA Edison), announced a meeting next week in Washington D.C. to discuss smart grids, how they can help us reduce our carbon footprint and how they are affected by the Energy Act of 2007.

According to their website, the Gridwise alliance aims for "an electric system that integrates the infrastructure, processes, devices, information and market structure so that energy can be generated, distributed, and consumed more efficiently and cost effectively; thereby achieving a more resilient, secure and reliable energy system." For us, this means that electric networks need to be adapted for plug-in cars. As we pointed out, our current electricity grid is dumb and does not distinguish what we plug into our socket walls - and there are serious concerns about the capacity of power plants to feed new electric demand. Smart meters should allow EVs to purchase electricity at certain times, such as during the night, when there's less electricity demand.

[Source: Gridwise]

On the 13th February we posed the question "What is the best way to spend the DOE's money?", and asked you to vote for your favourite answer.

After receiving 290 votes, the results are in and it looks like Lithium Ion battery technology was the clear favourite with 29 percent of the votes. Two other ways areas that were popular for sinking vast amounts of government research grant funds into were algae biodiesel production and solar photovoltaics which were tied on 20 percent each. The rest of the field was further back.

Analysis: I think a renewable energy Smart Grid is the long-term answer, but this wont be made up of just a single technology. Plug-in electric vehicles connected to an intelligent electricity network which utilises a large degree of renewable energy production will require better battery technology and more solar photovoltaics. But EVs aren't appropriate in every situation - highly efficient biodiesel production will be needed as well for larger vehicles like freight trucks and container ships. But for a start, let's get those battery efficiencies up.

Be sure to vote in our next poll - Just how fuel efficient is your vehicle?

Related:

• State of Florida gives out grant to develop cellulosic ethanol from sugarcane
• Scientists lump all fuel-economy measures in theoretical Vanguard minivan; but is it that easy in the real world?
• Editorial: Why the carmakers seem to be dragging their feet on batteries

As discussed in URGE² theory, utilising the grid to overcome the supply intermittency of renewable energy sources is a critical step in moving forward towards a green energy future. Californian utility giant Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is looking to do just that by combining the overnight charging of EVs via renewable energy with the opportunity for consumers to sell some of the power stored in their vehicles' battery packs back to the grid during the day.

The plan is designed to both drive the uptake of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and give the utility more capacity flexibility in dealing with peak load situations. Essentially the battery packs in the plug-in cars would be recharged over night and then would recharge the grid during the day.

Wind energy is California's major renewable energy contributor, with more than 2,500 megawatts of capacity. But with aggressive renewable energy goals, around 4,600 megawatts is projected to be added to meet the targets. Xcel Energy is also looking at smart-grid technologies to help it meet Minnesota's Renewable Energy Standard legislation.

Analysis: Expect to see a lot more on smart grid technologies such as high-tech meters over the coming few years. Estimated to be just 5-6 years away, power grid-to-car-batteries technology should reduce both emissions and energy bills.

Related:

• A call to URGE² - Use Renewably Generated Electricity, Efficiently
• How about a garage covered in wind turbines with solar windows?
• GridWise sets aside four days in April to work on U.S. smart grid

[Source: EcoFriend]

Car fanatics like to talk of the open road, a sense of adventure, and the amazing places and faces they meet when road tripping. They don't like to talk, not as much anyway, about the highway system. So, if you're and AutoblogGreen reader who's into The Drive, thanks for stopping by, but this post is about the highway system. Well, a modern equivalent, anyway.

The only way that plug-in electric cars are going to reach their full potential is with the installation of a smart grid. I'm not saying the current electric grid is dumb, but it is. Electricity meters are located on building, and PHEVs might require sanctioned meters on the vehicles themselves. And not just any meters either, but meters that can be set to purchase energy only at certain times or prices (storing the energy for later use in the PHEV's battery) and upload energy back to the grid when demand is strong. If you'd like to know more on the potential of a smart grid, click on any of the links at the end of this post.

The news in all of this is that at the end of April, the GridWise Alliance and the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability will be holding a major conference, called "GridWeek 2007," at the end of April to see just how quickly a smart grid can be implemented in America. I'm guessing it'll come sometime after the Chevy Volt's production version is released and two decades before the hydrogen economy is up and running.

GridWise is made up of many big players in the energy industry. What surprises me is that Southern California Edison, which will be bringing smart meters to every customer in California by 2013 and is a huge proponent of plug-in vehicles, is not a member. Is there a story there?

Related:

• California utility Pacific Gas & Electric previews future energy grid
• Interview with Michael Brylawski of RMI part three - Hypercars and Vehicle To Grid theory
• Plug-in hybrids could be a benefit to the electrical grid
• U.S. electric grid has capacity for a lot of plug-in hybrids

[Source: GridWise Alliance]