GM Doubles Down On Plug-In Technology

[boomerbust]

Source: Forbes.com

DETROIT -- As long as the federal government is handing out money to encourage the development of plug-in cars in the U.S., General Motors says it will invest in the necessary technologies.

GM is expected to announce Tuesday a $246 million investment in a new U.S. factory that will build electric motors, a technology that is every bit as important as advanced batteries for the development of hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles.

designing and building electric motors in-house, GM says it will be able to lower costs and improve performance, quality and reliability by controlling the design, purchasing and manufacturing processes.

The cost of the new manufacturing facility will be offset by a $105 million grant from the Department of Energy under a program designed to encourage U.S. manufacturing of electric vehicle technologies.


Read more: http://www.forbes.com/2010/01/25/general-motors-electric-business-autos-motor.html?partner=msn

[Demeter]

1. Because doing it because it's the right thing is so wrong!

[endless october]

2. we need more electrical infrastructure.

otherwise, these run on coal.

i'm for electric / plug in hybrids / alternative fuels completely, but we already have brown outs with our existing infrastructure. we need a national initiative to get new non-CO2 electric generating capacity built and built fast.

[madokie]

3. Coal is still better than gasoline

Won't be needing any added capacity to service the EV's for years to come as most charging will be done during the night time when there is a surplus of available energy. I see no down side to this and damn sure not to the point that I'd consider more nuke plants.

Just so's you know.

[groundloop]

4. That's true - HOWEVER....

We still need to get off our collective asses and invest in clean electricity.

[madokie]

6. I agree with that.

[endless october]

5. i have no problem with coal until we can replace it.

however, i see no evidence that the electrical infrastructure is even sufficient for current demand in much of the country during parts of the year. adding electric vehicle demand to existing demand without expanding capacity would not work smoothly.

i see no reason not to embark on a massive infrastructure project. i'd rather our money go to that than to war.

[madokie]

7. You bet, I agree

We need the infrastructure and we desperately need the jobs, without the jobs most of it won't matter anyway as we're all running out of money and won't or can't be buying the new ev's and hybrids.

Peace

[kristopher]

9. Actually the PHEVs will HELP with grid instability

We really don't need more capacity if we can improve the efficiency with which we manage the present capacity; which is what all the talk of a 'smart grid' is about.

The idea is that plug in electric vehicles can not only pull power from the grid, but they can also sell power back to the grid. The present system is only designed to pay attention to large power sources and large users. We are working on redesigning the systems so that small sources of power are able to be managed on an individual basis. Once we have the grid equipped to do this it becomes possible for individuals with electric cars to buy electricity from the grid at off-peak rates, store it in the car's batteries, and then sell it back to the utility at peak rates. This type of power is extremely valuable to the utilities and it has been estimated that owners can make about $3000/yr by selling excess power back.
The way it would work is that if you want to participate, you'd program your car to be available for the utility to access a set amount of electricity. It won't be for everyone that has an EV but let's say you drive 8 miles each way to work. You charge your battery at home each night on electricity that would otherwise not be used because it is from plants that are operating because they can't be shut down and restarted rapidly (spinning reserve). You then go to work and plug your car in their with instructions programmed in to allow the utility to tap into 35% of your battery's power. You make a profit on the transaction and the power company has a source of power to help them stabilize the grid.

There is a dance that will be taking place as these interdependent new technologies develop independently but even small numbers of these vehicle-to-grid (V2G) equipped autos will add a great deal of performance to the grid.

Some recommended reading for those interested. Don't have links but they are easy to find and access:
1) A Greener FERC by Margaret Kriz


2) DOE PHEV R&D Plan, External Draft, March 2007
Comments By*: Jon Wellinghoff, Commissioner
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
and
Willett Kempton, Professor
University of Delaware


3) Testimony of Jon Wellinghoff
Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
United States Senate
December 10, 2009

[endless october]

11. US population tripled during the 20th century.

that has to be taken into account when planning future capacity.

we have to build more infrastructure even if vehicles don't go electric. there's no way around it.

smart grid and conservation will help. but it's not a complete energy policy.

[kristopher]

12. Who said it was?

A smart grid is one element of a complex system for meeting our energy needs in a sustainable way. You might enjoy reading the references provided.

Energy Regulatory Chief Says New Coal, Nuclear Plants May Be Unnecessary
By NOELLE STRAUB AND PETER BEHR, Greenwire
No new nuclear or coal plants may ever be needed in the United States, the chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission said today. "We may not need any, ever," Jon Wellinghoff told reporters at a U.S. Energy Association forum. The FERC chairman's comments go beyond those of other Obama administration officials, who have strongly endorsed greater efficiency and renewables deployment but also say nuclear and fossil energies will continue playing a major role.

Wellinghoff's view also goes beyond the consensus outlook in the electric power industry about future sources of electricity. The industry has assumed that more baseload generation would provide part of an increasing demand for power, along with a rapid deployment of renewable generation, smart grid technologies and demand reduction strategies....

[wordpix]

10. +1 ---we need solar and wind power for every plug in at every rest stop

[FarCenter]

8. Who are they licensing the intellectual property and know how from?