Tag Archives: electric vehicles
Bi-Partisan Representatives Introduce New Act to Promote Electric Cars
There aren’t many initiatives that Republicans and Democrats can quickly agree upon, but deployment of electric cars is one of them. Both sides of the aisle support a strong EV future in the United States, as a strategy for job creation and reducing dependence on oil.
Today, U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL) joined Reps. Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jerry McNerney (D-CA), and Anna Eshoo (D-CA) to introduce the Electric Drive Vehicle Deployment Act—legislation designed to fast track the deployment of energy-saving electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid technologies.
Quinn on hand to open new ‘green’ Walgreens in Oak Park
Illinois communities should follow Oak Park’s lead in encouraging businesses to build energy-saving stores. That’s the advice Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn gave Tuesday morning while touring the new conservation-designed Walgreens at 811 Madison Street.
“Oak Park has seen the future, and it understands green practices,” Quinn said, noting the village encourages new businesses to consider green technologies in water efficiency, carbon emission reductions and lighting.
Expanding Electric Vehicle Market Will Likely Necessitate More EV Charging Stations and Education for Property Managers Interested in Investing
CHICAGO, April 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — As the acceptance and use of electric vehicles is becoming more prevalent, thanks to recent investment from the government and car manufactures, more commercial property owners and managers are grappling with how to react to growing demand for EV charging stations at their properties.
“The growth of the electric car sector is very real,” said Bob Best, SVP and head of Jones Lang LaSalle’s EV Task Force. “We know the eventual demand for charging stations is going to hit the real estate market, and we need to be prepared to guide owners on the best approach to tackling this issue.”
Secretary Chu Announces New Funding and Partnership with Google to Promote Electric Vehicles
Washington, DC – As part of the Obama Administration’s efforts to reduce U.S. oil imports by one-third by 2025, Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced new steps underway at the Department of Energy to accelerate the deployment of electric vehicles. This includes the availability of $5 million in new funding for community-based efforts to deploy electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and charging stations. He also outlined a partnership with Google Inc. and more than 80 EV stakeholders to help consumers find charging stations nationwide. Secretary Chu and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood made the announcement on a conference call with Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup, and St. Paul Mayor Christopher Coleman – leaders of three of the nation’s nearly 100 Clean Cities Coalitions.
Obama Speaks on Energy in the U.S
Some tidbits from Obama’s energy speech today:
* “We cannot keep going from shock to trance on the issue of energy security.”
* “Presidents and politicians of every stripe have promised energy independence, but that promise has so far gone unmet.”
* The U.S. should find and produce more oil at home, and reduce our dependence on oil with cleaner alternative fuels and greater efficiency.
* Focus on biofuels and electric vehicles and natural gas from shale made safe.
* On the federal transportation fleet: “To achieve our oil goal, the federal government will lead by example. The fleet of cars and trucks we use in the federal government is one of the largest in the country. That’s why we’ve already doubled the number of alternative vehicles in the federal fleet, and that’s why, today, I am directing agencies to purchase 100% alternative fuel, hybrid, or electric vehicles by 2015. And going forward, we’ll partner with private companies that want to upgrade their large fleets.”
* Nuclear still remains a necessary part of the U.S. energy future.
* Obama’s Clean Energy Standard would include nuclear: “Clean Energy Standard for America: by 2035, 80 percent of our electricity will come from an array of clean energy sources, from renewables like wind and solar to efficient natural gas to clean coal and nuclear power.”
Microsoft Wants to Be the Google of Utility Data
When it comes to looking for the best prices for electricity to charge your plug-in vehicle, Microsoft wants to be at the top of the search results. The desktop and internet application company wants to be the data source for all things utility by creating a national database of tariff and rate plan information. The Microsoft Utility Rate Service (MURS) will be available via subscriptions to government agencies, power providers, auto makers, and EV charging equipment companies.
In Every New Volt, There’s a Little Argonne
This month, thousands of new Chevy Volt owners will begin the real road tests of the first mass-produced plug-in hybrid electric car. While much of the car’s engineering is unique, consumers may be unaware that some of its most extraordinary technology is inside the nearly 400-lb. battery that powers the vehicle in electric mode.
The battery’s chemistry is based in part on a revolutionary breakthrough pioneered by scientists at Argonne National Laboratory. The new development helps the Volt’s battery—a lithium-ion design similar to those in your cell phone or laptop—last longer, run more safely and perform better than batteries currently on the market.
Argonne’s Battery Tech: A Government Licensing Success Story
I recently learned of a compelling instance of U.S. government-funded clean tech research translating into widely commercialized technology through green patent licensing.
Argonne National Laboratory announced last month that LG Chem and General Motors had completed licensing agreements to use Argonne’s patented composite cathode material in the lithium-ion batteries that power the Chevy Volt.
Quinn to carmakers: State’s ready for electric cars
The State of Illinois and the City of Chicago partner to develop the densest level 3 electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the country.
