Patrick Doyle’s Post

In #France, large parking lots (over 1500 sq. meters, or 0.37+ acres) are now required to have #solar canopies, another step in decarbonizing one of the world's cleanest #electricity grids. Plus, the shading will mean cooler cars! #climatesolutions #renewableelectricity #renewableenergy #parking https://lnkd.in/g8MMzzVz

Parking lots covered in solar panels could provide 1/3rd of Toronto’s electricity needs; while being the cheapest form of electricity. Paired with batteries, they could prevent storm blackouts when transformer stations are knocked out. And it would allow the shutdown of the Port Lands gas plant. Add to that rooftop solar on large commercial buildings and the province likely wouldn’t need to proceed with nuclear and gas expansion and associated grid upgrades for distribution. Instead, we could have a highly de-centralized, resilient, and cheap power source.

The impact of small grants on spurring testing of new technologies and approaches underscores exactly why programs like TECH Clean California are vital to scaling climate solutions. #renewables #power #energy #wind #offshore #onshore #solar #hydropower #floating #nuclear #geothermal #efficiency #transition #susteinability #circular #economy #esg #clean #decarbonization #electrification #climate #hydrogen #mobility #greensteel #ammonia #transportation #storage #fuelcell #smartgrid #der #powersystem #generation #transmission #distribution #electricity #machines #motors #drives #sensors #iot #education #engineering #innovation #entrepreneurship #creativity #technology #digitalization #cybersecurtity

intersting exchange of the mission of the International Energy Agency... these were the ones that conducted the comparison of the EV vs ICE vehicles I just posted

Electric vehicles are ‘batteries on wheels’ that can put energy back into the grid when #solar or #wind do not provide enough power. https://lnkd.in/gCKzPJtq #EVs #batteries #greenenergy #smartenergy #goelectric #climate

Congratulations to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Granholm for her recognition on TIME's 100 Most Influential People in Climate List! We appreciate her strong leadership on clean energy and transportation--and her willingness to explore #V2G and #VPP use cases with her #EV! ⚡🔌🚗 "One solution I’m eager to try is to turn my electric vehicle into a virtual power plant, or VPP. Picture this: it’s a summer Friday, you just got home from work, and your EV is charging in the garage. But when it’s hot out—electricity demand and rates are peaking. If your utility runs a VPP program, you can let them use your EV battery as a temporary clean energy source for your A/C, your TV, even the grid itself. Then, when things quiet down overnight, they’ll charge your car back up. You still wake up with a full battery, but you also saved the grid—and your wallet—the extra stress of powering your home during peak demand. Everyone wins. And you can do the same with rooftop solar or home batteries. We at DOE want to make these types of solutions available to anyone interested in living more sustainably."

Electric vehicles (EVs) can contribute to the grid energy supply through vehicle-to-grid technology. This allows EVs to return stored electricity back to the grid during peak demand times or when renewable energy sources like solar and wind are insufficient. This not only supports grid stability but also enhances energy resilience. On a global scale the energy transition is the only path to autocracy free global energy independence, peace and prosperity.

The end of September is a big milestone for the UK - no more coal on our generation grid! I remember visiting Ratcliffe-on-Soar during my PhD. Since the mid 2010s, the energy system has changed dramatically, and is decarbonizing fast. Today's power plants are not made of concrete or cooling towers - they are virtual power plants (VPPs) - vast arrays of distributed devices connected together with software. The VPPs we are building in the the 2020s are much bigger than Ratcliffe. The UK has almost 2 million plug in electric vehicles on the road - which can already be connected to command the same capacity as Ratcliffe at peak times. Leveraging vehicle-to-grid (in the future), these power plants can unleash several times the generating output of the colossal Ratcliffe coal plant. Once the UK converts fully to EVs, we'll have to wait a mere 12 months to build a new virtual power plant as big as Ratcliffe every single year. The future electricity grid, will be decarbonized. To support decarbonization, we need flexibility, and VPPs of electric vehicles are one solution. They will likely become the biggest power plants humanity has ever built. There's loads of work to do if we reach our goals and decarbonize. On to the next milestone! #vpps #smartcharging https://on.ft.com/3ANndAL

There are a few "next BIG things" in the home energy technology space. The last couple years, it's been energy storage and the addition of electric vehicles as a home load. The next couple of years they will be likely some combination of vehicle to grid/home, home energy management systems (appliance integration into home energy systems) and the acceleration of electrification overall!

There are some good points raised in this Op-Ed piece. Time-of-use rates will be where many electric utilities move to in the near future, for which solar + battery storage provides the most value. U.S. electricity demand outpacing supply is a perennial issue. Build your own power plant via your home's roof or a ground mount application in your yard.