Google algorithms tweaking electric car-smart grid communication
Google's interest in
The basic idea seems to be to let individual drivers make their own arrangements with the utilities to have their cars not suck down electrons – or even provide power from the battery – during peak times. This isn't the only attempt to get a system like this up and running, but Google has a pretty good history of taking ideas that are already out there and making them better. Still, let's hope it's more google.com than G1, if you know what we're saying.
[Source: Reuters via Engadget]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mark Kiernan 8:21AM (10/01/2009)
Ah I love you Google! If anyone can resolve these problems it is you.
BTW have any of your seen the video about Google Wave, it is a fantastic new system that will go online next year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_UyVmITiYQ
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Laurens 8:22AM (10/01/2009)
The profits will shift from manufacturing (EV mobility is as interesting as tap water) to the network.
Typical example of what having one large unified marketplace with "all the same" consumers can bring. Good thinking, Google
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letstakeawalk 11:16AM (10/01/2009)
Monitoring the grid will be of the utmost importance. If BEVs gain mainstream acceptance, it must be acknowledged that not everyone will be charging overnight - plenty of people have 2nd and 3rd shift jobs which would require them to be commuting at night. They would be charging their cars during the day, during peak demand.
Our electric grid is already pressed to the extreme to deliver power now, it is imperative that infrastructure be improved and monitoring capability be installed to minimize the risk of grid collapse. It's good to see companies like Google stepping up to meet the challenge.
"The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that total needed investment in electric utilities could be as much as $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion by 2030. That would include money for energy generation (wind farms, solar farms, etc.) and all of the power lines to move the energy to your neighborhood.
Energy Secretary Steven Chu told NPR it would cost more than $100 billion to modernize the grid, but it's not clear what that would include or exactly how much more than $100 billion it could end up costing."
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103545351
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turbomonkey2k 12:11PM (10/02/2009)
Not sure I get the dig on the G1. Had mine almost a year and there's nothing out there yet I'd trade for it.
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