PG&E rolls out a Prius to house hack (2 way feed for power & emergencies)

[IChing]

California's big power utility, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., today rolled out a prototype
PRIUS HACK that lets you plug the car into your house to power lights, PCs and blenders.
The Toyota hybrid has been modified with what they call Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology.
You simply plug the Prius into a standard wall outlet, which charges the Prius batteries
when the house has power, or lets those batteries power the house when it doesn't


http://www.pge.com/news/news_releases/q2_2007/070409.html


V2G technology allows for the bi-directional sharing of electricity between Electric Vehicles (EVs)
and Plug-in Electric Hybrid Vehicles (PHEVs) and the electric power grid. The technology turns
each vehicle into a power storage system, increasing power reliability and the amount of
renewable energy available to the grid during peak power usage.

PG&E's prototype PHEV, converted in partnership with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District
and Energy CS, adds a lithium ion battery to a traditional Toyota Prius. The additional battery capacity
increases the vehicle's ability to run completely on electricity. In front of many of the Silicon Valley's industry
and governmental leaders, PG&E showed the reverse flow of energy from
the vehicle back to the outlet - a first public showcase for any utility.
Once connected to the outlet, PG&E then ran several lights and appliances
to show how V2G could benefit its customers.

[jpak]

1. Now if you had a grid-tied PV system on the roof of the house...

or a "solar parking lot"...

http://www.greenbiz.com/news/news_third.cfm?NewsID=34867

Nawww, won't work...

:evilgrin:

[IChing]

2. GM would fight that tooth and nail

or until they figure how their oil buddies could own it.

[jpak]

5. When Toyota launches a flex-fuel plug-in grid-hackable Prius....

It's Game Over...

[loudsue]

3. Hmm. Sort of like a generator for when an ice storm knocks out your power.

That would be interesting!

:kick:

[IChing]

4. Ice storms, hurricanes, blackouts, brownouts, earthquakes,

tornadoes or just about any power emergency you could think of.

[IDemo]

6. I posted on V2G on an earlier thread

--> http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=115&topic_id=90568&mesg_id=90713

This is a part of the equation that potentially makes EV's and plug-in hybrids more valuable, and virtually all new companies producing EV's are planning on including the technology.

[IChing]

7. thanks for the link and info

I've said this since 2001 and then watched the next 6 years
as the US auto industries jumped on the bandwagon by producing
larger gasoline consuming SUVs.


:sarcasm:

[TexasLinda]

8. Short term profits are all U.S. CEOs care about

The jerks who made the bad decisions were well rewarded.

[eppur_se_muova]

9. Argh ... too late for 5th rec. nt