The Distributed Grid
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Sam Carana
Jan 19, 2008, 1:45:14 AM1/19/08
to electric cars
THE DISTRIBUTED GRID
"The distributed grid is more efficient and can cut greenhouse
gas emissions, both in the grid and in transport."
- Sam Carana
Electric vehicles can cut greenhouse gas emissions in two
ways. They are clean and efficient. By acting as storage
capacity, they can also make the electric grid more efficient.
Electric cars are also cheap to drive and to maintain, and they
don't make much noise. They still are relatively expensive to
buy, but automated production and economies of scale can
overcome this hurdle and make electric vehicles cheaper than
gasoline cars.
If the electricity came from coal-fired power plants,
driving an electric car still causes less greenhouse emissions
than driving a gasoline car. Electric cars have zero emissions
and are also more efficient. Thermal efficiency of power
plants is higher than the thermal efficiency of most gasoline
cars. Much of the fuel burned in gasoline cars turns into heat.
Electric cars use regenerative breaking and do not use their
motors when waiting before traffic lights. Electric cars use
energy more efficiently, especially in city traffic that causes
most of the emissions.
Impact on the grid - Running our entire fleet of vehicles on
electricity instead of oil would not put much stress on the
electric grid. One study concludes that if we transformed our
entire fleet of vehicles into electric vehicles, they would
jointly consume only 20% of grid capacity.
We wouldn't even need much expansion of the grid in terms
of extra capacity or transmission lines. The majority of
vehicles could run on the idle capacity that is available in the
existing grid. One study concludes that there is sufficient idle
capacity in the grid to power 73% of light vehicles, i.e. cars,
SUVs, pickup trucks, and vans, without adding generation or
transmission.
Moreover, such a move would benefit the grid. Car batteries
can contain many times more power than what cars need for
their average daily travel. Cheap off-peak rates would make it
financially attractive to charge batteries at off-peak times,
over and above what the individual user consumed during the
day. The surplus can then be fed back into the grid to help out
with high demand at peak times. Net-metering at good rates
could make this attractive, while the grid becomes more
efficient, more reliable and less prone to outages and glitches.
New batteries for electric cars are light, safe and do not
harm the environment. Batteries are on the market now that
allow electric cars to drive for hours without recharging.
While these batteries are still expensive - they can cost over
$10,000 - and are hard to get, mass production can overcome
these hurdles.
Most cars only drive short distances. Recharging them at
home and/or at work would suffice in most cases. In case they
needed extra power to travel longer distances, their batteries
could also be recharged at other locations with the required
outlets, e.g. gas stations, parking buildings or parking meters.
New batteries are now on the market that can be recharged in
minutes, they can last for over a decade and can be recharged
thousands of times without degeneration. This would make
recharging convenient and safe, compared to filling a car with
gas.
We don't all need to buy new cars. Many existing vehicles
can be converted into electric vehicles. With some financial
assistance, the conversion cost can pay itself back over time
through savings on the cost of driving and maintenance. For
those who cannot afford to buy a new electric car, there are
also initiatives such as Project Better Place that plans to offer
electric cars at a cheap price, while making profits on services
such as car maintenance, battery upgrades and recharging the
batteries. In an effort to offset the company's greenhouse gas
footprint, employers may also contribute through leasing
arrangements and by making recharging facilities available at
work.
Renewable energy looks set to become the dominant supplier
of energy. Wind turbines are being installed around the world.
This will increase the amount of surplus energy in the grid at
night. Storing this surplus energy in the batteries of electric
cars will increase overall efficiencies.
Owners of electric cars will consume more electricity (but no
gasoline) and are more likely to get solar panels, for the
savings as well as to help the environment. Similarly, as more
of their staff start driving electric cars, businesses will be
more inclined to get solar panels on the roofs of their
buildings and car parking facilities.
Solar facilities typically include a battery. Car batteries could
be used instead. Most cars are parked at home when people
switch on their lights, air-conditioners and TV-sets. Similarly,
the power needs at work coincide with cars of staff being
parked there. Using the batteries of electric cars to store
electricity can reduce the need for batteries in solar facilities
and will thus reduce the overall cost of solar facilities.
Cost of solar power has come down over the years. As an
example, Nanasolar now offers thin film material at $1 per
watt. This promises clean and safe energy that is
price-competitive with power plants. It also becomes
increasingly attractive for households and businesses to install
solar facilities. Recognising the market opportunities and the
financial incentives made available at different levels of
government, there now are numerous companies offering to
help people adopt green energy at home without having to
make large investments, sometimes even without any upfront
payments.
A FeeBate Policy can help facilitate the switch to zero
emission vehicles and to clean and safe ways to produce
energy. A FeeBate policy can include fees on gasoline cars,
with the proceeds used for rebates on zero emission vehicles.
A FeeBate policy can also include fees on fossil fuel, with the
proceeds used for rebates on clean and safe alternatives, such
as wind and solar facilities.
In conclusion, all this will lead to a more distributed grid, with
numerous suppliers and with numerous places where
electricity is stored. The grid now draws electricity from a
relatively small number of large power plants, to supply
electricity in an area. Renewable energy supplies only a
fraction of power, most of it through hydro facilities. The
existing grid looks much like a broadcasting network, with a
relatively small number of broadcasting stations sending
content one-way to the public. In future, the grid looks set to
become more distributed, with two-way connections to most
users, much like a multitude of users can send and receive
information over the Internet.
"The distributed grid is more efficient and can cut greenhouse
gas emissions, both in the grid and in transport."
- Sam Carana
Electric vehicles can cut greenhouse gas emissions in two
ways. They are clean and efficient. By acting as storage
capacity, they can also make the electric grid more efficient.
Electric cars are also cheap to drive and to maintain, and they
don't make much noise. They still are relatively expensive to
buy, but automated production and economies of scale can
overcome this hurdle and make electric vehicles cheaper than
gasoline cars.
If the electricity came from coal-fired power plants,
driving an electric car still causes less greenhouse emissions
than driving a gasoline car. Electric cars have zero emissions
and are also more efficient. Thermal efficiency of power
plants is higher than the thermal efficiency of most gasoline
cars. Much of the fuel burned in gasoline cars turns into heat.
Electric cars use regenerative breaking and do not use their
motors when waiting before traffic lights. Electric cars use
energy more efficiently, especially in city traffic that causes
most of the emissions.
Impact on the grid - Running our entire fleet of vehicles on
electricity instead of oil would not put much stress on the
electric grid. One study concludes that if we transformed our
entire fleet of vehicles into electric vehicles, they would
jointly consume only 20% of grid capacity.
We wouldn't even need much expansion of the grid in terms
of extra capacity or transmission lines. The majority of
vehicles could run on the idle capacity that is available in the
existing grid. One study concludes that there is sufficient idle
capacity in the grid to power 73% of light vehicles, i.e. cars,
SUVs, pickup trucks, and vans, without adding generation or
transmission.
Moreover, such a move would benefit the grid. Car batteries
can contain many times more power than what cars need for
their average daily travel. Cheap off-peak rates would make it
financially attractive to charge batteries at off-peak times,
over and above what the individual user consumed during the
day. The surplus can then be fed back into the grid to help out
with high demand at peak times. Net-metering at good rates
could make this attractive, while the grid becomes more
efficient, more reliable and less prone to outages and glitches.
New batteries for electric cars are light, safe and do not
harm the environment. Batteries are on the market now that
allow electric cars to drive for hours without recharging.
While these batteries are still expensive - they can cost over
$10,000 - and are hard to get, mass production can overcome
these hurdles.
Most cars only drive short distances. Recharging them at
home and/or at work would suffice in most cases. In case they
needed extra power to travel longer distances, their batteries
could also be recharged at other locations with the required
outlets, e.g. gas stations, parking buildings or parking meters.
New batteries are now on the market that can be recharged in
minutes, they can last for over a decade and can be recharged
thousands of times without degeneration. This would make
recharging convenient and safe, compared to filling a car with
gas.
We don't all need to buy new cars. Many existing vehicles
can be converted into electric vehicles. With some financial
assistance, the conversion cost can pay itself back over time
through savings on the cost of driving and maintenance. For
those who cannot afford to buy a new electric car, there are
also initiatives such as Project Better Place that plans to offer
electric cars at a cheap price, while making profits on services
such as car maintenance, battery upgrades and recharging the
batteries. In an effort to offset the company's greenhouse gas
footprint, employers may also contribute through leasing
arrangements and by making recharging facilities available at
work.
Renewable energy looks set to become the dominant supplier
of energy. Wind turbines are being installed around the world.
This will increase the amount of surplus energy in the grid at
night. Storing this surplus energy in the batteries of electric
cars will increase overall efficiencies.
Owners of electric cars will consume more electricity (but no
gasoline) and are more likely to get solar panels, for the
savings as well as to help the environment. Similarly, as more
of their staff start driving electric cars, businesses will be
more inclined to get solar panels on the roofs of their
buildings and car parking facilities.
Solar facilities typically include a battery. Car batteries could
be used instead. Most cars are parked at home when people
switch on their lights, air-conditioners and TV-sets. Similarly,
the power needs at work coincide with cars of staff being
parked there. Using the batteries of electric cars to store
electricity can reduce the need for batteries in solar facilities
and will thus reduce the overall cost of solar facilities.
Cost of solar power has come down over the years. As an
example, Nanasolar now offers thin film material at $1 per
watt. This promises clean and safe energy that is
price-competitive with power plants. It also becomes
increasingly attractive for households and businesses to install
solar facilities. Recognising the market opportunities and the
financial incentives made available at different levels of
government, there now are numerous companies offering to
help people adopt green energy at home without having to
make large investments, sometimes even without any upfront
payments.
A FeeBate Policy can help facilitate the switch to zero
emission vehicles and to clean and safe ways to produce
energy. A FeeBate policy can include fees on gasoline cars,
with the proceeds used for rebates on zero emission vehicles.
A FeeBate policy can also include fees on fossil fuel, with the
proceeds used for rebates on clean and safe alternatives, such
as wind and solar facilities.
In conclusion, all this will lead to a more distributed grid, with
numerous suppliers and with numerous places where
electricity is stored. The grid now draws electricity from a
relatively small number of large power plants, to supply
electricity in an area. Renewable energy supplies only a
fraction of power, most of it through hydro facilities. The
existing grid looks much like a broadcasting network, with a
relatively small number of broadcasting stations sending
content one-way to the public. In future, the grid looks set to
become more distributed, with two-way connections to most
users, much like a multitude of users can send and receive
information over the Internet.
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