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How to Prevent Blackouts by Packetizing the Power Grid

Cars That Think

That need for balance is true of electric power grids, too. Spiking demand for electric heat collided with supply problems created by frozen natural-gas equipment and below-average wind-power production. Packetized energy management (PEM) allows the power grid to flexibly handle a varying supply of renewable energy.

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False Starts: The Story of Vehicle-to-Grid Power

Cars That Think

It occurred in the wake of the California electricity crisis of 2000 and 2001, when mismanaged deregulation, market manipulation, and environmental catastrophe combined to unhinge the power grid. Once electricity is generated and passes into the grid, it is typically used almost immediately.

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