Google Backs PHEVs

Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google, Inc., announced its intention to become a force in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and oil dependence by backing the adoption of plug-in hybrid electronic vehicles (PHEVs). In June, the Internet giant launched its RechargeIT initiative (http://www.rechargeit.org) with $1million in grants $10 million in request for proposals (RFP) to fund the development and commercialization of plug-ins, fully electric cars, and related vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology. At the launch event in June, Google joined with Pacific Gas & Electric to demonstrate the bidirectional flow of electricity between plug-ins and the electric grid, showing the potential for a shift in energy use—charging vehicles through a grid powered by solar or other renewable energy sources while simultaneously stabilizing the grid by selling power back when it needs it.

As part of the RechargeIT initiative, Google switched on the solar panel installation at its Mountain View, California, Googleplex headquarters. The 1.6-megawatt installation will help the company reduce its environmental footprint and power its plug-ins with clean electric energy. It has an electricity output great enough to power 1,000 average California homes, and it’s the largest solar array ever installed on any corporate campus in the United States and one of the largest on any corporate site in the world. Since June 18, the installation at the Googleplex has generated more than 290,000 kilowatt-hours of solar electricity. It is estimated that the company will save $15 million in energy costs over the 30-year lifespan of the system.

The RechargeIT Initiative bolsters plug-in development and commercialization with several components, including:

• Grants. The Brookings Institution will receive $200,000 to support a conference on federal policy to promote plug-ins; CalCars won $200,000 to educate the public about the vehicles; the Electrical Power Research Institute will receive $200,000 for its plug-in research and development program; Plug-in America won $100,000 to raise public awareness and advocate for plug-ins; the Rocky Mountain Institute will receive $200,000 to launch a practical plug-in design with collaboration and support from Alcoa, Johnson Controls, and the Turner Foundation; and Dr. Willett Kempton of the University of Delaware receives $150,000 for V2G research and implementation.
• RFPs. In late summer, Google.org will publish a formal RFP on their website, hoping to invest $10 million in companies and technologies that will accelerate the commercialization of alternative transportation that reduces dependence on oil and cuts greenhouse gas emissions.
• Plug-in Data Project. Google partnered with A123Systems/Hymotion to convert a fleet of hybrid cars into plug-ins and publish the performance data. The experimental fleet has averaged 74 mpg compared with a non-plug-in test fleet that averaged 41 mpg.
• Google Fleet. In an agreement with Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Google offers its employees a free car-sharing program that will eventually expand to include 100 plug-ins.

These components of the RechargeIT Initiative are designed to demonstrate the benefits of clean energy technologies and ways to connect them to the grid, spur demand for plug-ins, and encourage vehicle manufacturers to make them commercially available on a large scale.

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