EPRI, GM, 34 Utilities Collaborate to Advance Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles
July 29, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS
The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) announced a R&D collaboration with General Motors (GM) and 34 top utilities to facilitate integration of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the grid, a key step in providing U.S. drivers an alternative to petroleum fuels.
"The EPRI-GM-utility effort is the result of many years of work by EPRI and its members to advance plug-in hybrids and related infrastructure technology to a point of feasible implementation and eventual commercialization," said Arshad Mansoor, EPRI vice president of power delivery and utilization.
"Seamless integration of PHEVs into the electric grid will require close collaboration between the automobile and electric sectors."
According to EPRI, PHEVs use domestically produced electricity delivered through the grid, with a lower cost to fuel the vehicles than that of petroleum fuels.
Research released last year by EPRI and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) pointed to the potential of PHEVs to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
The EPRI-GM-utility collaboration will work to accelerate large-scale deployment of PHEVs and create a blueprint for an electric fuel infrastructure, said EPRI.
"This research program will help link a low-carbon generation portfolio and a smart grid, which in turn will facilitate widespread adoption of electricity as an alternative transportation fuel," Mansoor said. "PHEVs have the potential of creating tremendous value for society by use of lesser emitting and lower cost electricity."
The collaborative will also address issues that ensure safe and convenient vehicle charging, public education and public policies requirements to enable a smooth introduction of PHEVs as a transportation alternative to conventional vehicles.
Participants in the collaboration include Alabama Power, American Electric Power, Austin Energy, Bc Hydro, CenterPoint Energy, Consolidated Edison of New York, Dominion, DTE Energy, Duke Energy, FirstEnergy Corp., Georgia Power, Great River Energy, Hydro-Québec, Manitoba Hydro, Nebraska Public Power District, New York Power Authority, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, Progress Energy, Public Service Electric & Gas Co., Sacramento Municipal Utility District, San Diego Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison Co. and Southern Company.
The entire PHEV environmental assessment is available on the EPRI web site.
Source: Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).