Plug-in Prius + Smart Grid powered home = Cost Effectiveness?
Plug-in Prius + Smart Grid technology = Cost-effectiveness?
Plugging into cheaper home utility costs
I’ve read about Toyota’s smart grid technology in the past, and like other smart grid applications, it’s very impressive and intriguing. Unfortunately, it’s the upfront cost of plug-in vehicles that is most problematic, not the after-sale energy costs. Ultimately, a Nissan Versa and a lifetime of gasoline is still cheaper than a Nissan Leaf and free electricity for life, even after a $7500 tax credit.
Nonetheless, the possibility that a combination of a plug-in Prius and smart grid technology can reduce utility costs by 75 percent is a very compelling number.
To be sure, that might not be enough to offset the extra costs of plug-in technology, but it does highlight some key areas for plug-in hybrid focus:
First, home owners are THE key demographic for plug-in vehicles in the short term. Forget plug-in infrastructure. Focus on plug-in hybrids and smart home charging.
Second, plug-ins are NOT cost effective. Let me repeat that. Plug-ins are not cost-effective. Let’s not play games on that one. If we build them, only a few will come. That’s a fact. However, if viewed from a more wholistic viewpoint, then plug-ins might make more sense, especially when coupled with other green technologies, such as solar and wind power.
In fact, Toyota has something very interesting going on with their smart grid technology. While the research claims that plug-ins are not cost-effective it does suggest that if dynamic charging were a reality, then small battery plug-in hybrids could achieve cost-effectiveness.
But is dynamic charging the only option outside of a battery breakthrough?
Seriously, dynamic charging probably isn’t going to happen any time soon. Yet, perhaps a combination of small battery plug-in hybrids and smart metering technology might come close to achieving market-share-increasing cost-effectiveness. Add in some solar, wind or geothermal power and this convergence of technologies might actually make financial sense.
It doesn’t have to be all about lithium and dynamic charging breakthroughs, but it should be all about cost-effectiveness.
Ultimately, the race to electrification and battery-powered cars will not be easy. In all reality, it will probably take decades. Thus, plug-in tax credits might be completely irrelevant, while plug-in + solar + smart meter tax credits, on the other hand, might actually achieve real world viability.
is that where we’re heading? off-grid? it seems we’re heading the opposite way. utilities have been trying to turn EVs into their next big business opportunity.
to some extent we’ll have to proceed down that path, but i’d love to see a big move to a very distributed grid starting with homes and businesses, etc.
Dynamic charging will definitely take sometime but I fell these hybrids like downsizing, smaller engines is going to work.
We should ignore the “fully tax oil” argument as it’s never going to happen. Big Oil has Deep Pockets and plenty of politicos fit in them.
The best argument is to look at current trends of pump price with projected recovery forecasts. You’ll see that the pump price will go up, not drastically at first, and you’ll have to determine for yourself the dollar and cents trade-off of petrol vs EV tech.
My personal opinion would be to go totally off-grid but that’s not a viable option in all parts of the country. Maybe in 50 years, but not now. Only in the Southwest and parts of the Northwest is total off-grid an option.
I’m not sure about the EV metrics, but i think hybrids, maybe plug-in hybrids, but especially downsizing, smaller engines, etc. would be far more popular choices if more oil costs were paid at the pump rather than through subsidizations and backdoor taxes.
try selling that one to the people though. that kind of thinking puts us in the fringe.
I guess it’s a small price to pay for “Plug and Play” though. As the technology picks up well see more new homes with the infrastructure.
How would the metrics on EV’s change if we were fully taxing oil? I watch the controversy in Montana unfold and I wonder how far people are willing to go to satisfy our addiction to oil?
http://e360.yale.edu/feature/a_high-risk_fossil_fuel_boom_sweeps_across_north_america/2324/
http://www.grist.org/article/2010-08-02-mammoth-trucks-en-route-to-canadas-tar-sands-threaten-montana/