Did you know that next week is National Drive Electric week?
Help us celebrate by voting
for the University of California San Diego and EVgo’s “Second-life Energy
Storage + Level 3 EV Charging” project for the Energy Storage North America
2016 Mobility Innovation Award!
The UC San Diego Center for
Energy Research began a partnership with EVgo, a leading provider of
electric charging solutions, two years ago to develop this project and others
as part of EVgo’s technology and demonstration program. The goal? Create a
microgrid of technologies on the existing microgrid at UC San Diego.
“This is a shared vision for the future that combines the
fastest electric vehicle charging technology, second-life battery energy
storage, and integration of solar to mitigate the impact on the UC San Diego
microgrid during peak hours,” said Byron Washom, Director of Strategic Energy
Initiatives at UC San Diego.
The project is the first of its kind and consists of four
charging stations, a solar panel roof, and two second-life batteries. The
stations have been open to the public for the last year.
“The project started with two units and expanded to four,”
said Washom. “UC San Diego’s population of 200 electric vehicle commuters now
has access to 30-minute charging while contributing to the research and
demonstration of these units.”
Second-life batteries are batteries that use to be in a car
and are still useful. They help to reduce the cost of a charging station and
therefore the cost of owning and operating electric vehicles.
“Using second-life batteries also defers the period of time
in which we as a society will have to recycle them,” said Washom.
