Vehicle to Grid, part 1

In the first in a two-part series, I examine the emerging “Vehicle to Grid,” or V2G technology, where Plug-in Electric Vehicles use their excess battery power to recharge the electrical grid during periods of peak demand. Several energy utilities are studying this green energy source, including Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy and its subsidiary, Utility Innovations. Michael Lamb, executive director of Utility Innovations, and Keith Parks, an energy trading analyst formerly wth the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, (a group that is also examining this idea, by the way) join me in a wide-ranging discussion about the promise of smart grid technologies for a cleaner environment through zero emissions, its potential for weaning America off foreign oil, the cost savings to consumers, its feasibility and how long it might be before it becomes a reality. Once again, battery technology and infrastructure seem to be at the heart of the issue.
Posted in:
Clean Tech, Connected Social Media, NextGear, Technology