article thumbnail

Altair Nanotechnologies Pursuing ARRA Funding for Grid Modernization

Green Car Congress

billion for the modernization of the US electricity grid. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes an Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability program designed to accelerate the modernization of the US electricity grid. In the US each year, an estimated one billion tons of coal and 6.9 Earlier post.).

Grid 150
article thumbnail

DOE Awarding $620M for Smart Grid Demonstration and Energy Storage Projects

Green Car Congress

The US Department of Energy is awarding $620 million for projects around the country to demonstrate advanced Smart Grid technologies and integrated systems. Smart grid regional demonstrations involving plug-in vehicles include (ranked by DOE funding): Columbus Southern Power Company (doing business as AEP Ohio).

article thumbnail

Electric Car Life-Cycle Analysis: Renault Fluence ZE Vs Diesel, Gas Models

Green Car Reports

They use less energy on a wells-to-wheels carbon basis than the vast majority of new cars sold in North America, even if they''re recharged on coal-heavy electric grids. The environmental impact of plug-in electric cars is a source for much debate these days.

article thumbnail

Royal Academy of Engineering Report Says EV Success Depends on Low-Carbon Electricity, Universal Broadband Provision and Smart Grids

Green Car Congress

The introduction of electric vehicles on a large scale in the UK can only have a beneficial effect on CO 2 emissions if low-carbon electricity, universal broadband provision and smart grids are in place to support the transition, according to a new report published by the UK Royal Academy of Engineering.

Universal 268
article thumbnail

MIT, Ford researchers find lightweight conventional vehicles could have lower lifecycle GHG impact than EVs depending upon location

Green Car Congress

Regional differences in climate, electric grid burdens, and driving patterns compound to produce significant regional heterogeneity in the GHG benefits of electrification. The results highlight the need for a portfolio of fuel efficient offerings to recognize the heterogeneity of regional climate, electric grid burdens, and driving patterns.

MIT 236
article thumbnail

CMU policy briefs outline benefits and potential for adoption of electrified vehicles in the US

Green Car Congress

To achieve the best outcomes, the brief suggests, plug-in vehicle adoption should typically be focused on HEVs and PHEVs by city drivers in mild-climate regions with a clean electricity grid, such as San Francisco or Los Angeles. Further, drivers should not be encouraged to charge at night in coal-heavy regions.

article thumbnail

Another study confirms electric cars have lower carbon emissions, in Minnesota this time

Green Car Reports

It's a very reasonable question: electric cars themselves have no tailpipe emissions, but what about the power plants used to recharge them? In North America, an electric car charged on even the dirtiest, most coal-intensive electric grid in the nation.