What happens when you put lots of wind and solar power onto the power system? Do you need more storage? Do you need more reserves? When does the system 'break'? What actions can be taken to integrate wind and solar power into the power system without large cost increases to consumers?

Wind and solar power are inherently variable and uncertain. This causes difficulties for power system operators who must maintain reliability. Over the past several years, utilities and researchers have simulated power system operation with various penetration levels of renewable energy, examining increased costs due to integration of the renewables and mitigation measures to more cost-effectively accommodating the renewables. Debbie will present an overview of recent renewable energy integration studies in the US and Europe. She will focus on the recently released Western Wind and Solar Integration Study, one of the largest wind and solar integration studies to date, that examines the integration of up to 35% wind and solar energy into the power system. Issues addressed include: utility cooperation, tradeoffs between local and remote renewable energy resources, geographic diversity, storage, reserves, and improved forecasting.

followed by a MAP Energy Social (details announced at the seminar)

• battery storage
• energy policy
• industry expertise
• renewable energy
• smart grid
• solar
• wind

• battery storage
• economics
• industry expertise
• transportation fuel

Consumer Response to Plug-in Electric Vehicles

We are in historic times for the auto industry, along many dimensions, from the expanding of car ownership in developing nations, to the peaking of oil, and to the challenges of climate change. In the past, automobile products have changed slowly compared to other “tech” markets. Today, most automobiles are in many basic ways much like vehicles of the past few decades. A few clean and efficient vehicles are having successes in the market and bigger technological changes seem to loom ahead; in particular, in the next few years, automobile makers will attempt to commercialize electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles around the world. Are these products that only a few engineers, enthusiasts and devoted environmentalists want or are these products that will transform the auto industry, embraced by the wide consumer market? For 20 years, researchers at UC Davis have been probing this question, surveying and interviewing car owners about their fuel use, actual or potential use of green cars, alternative fuels, want for small urban or neighborhood cars and electric drive vehicles in particular. UCD researchers have studied consumer response to the basic practical issues, such as purchase costs, operating costs, the constraints of vehicle range, the use of charging stations as well as more cultural arenas such as the development of new symbols, values, the role of information in car owner’s social networks, environmental concepts, efficient driving practices, and the use of energy feedback instruments. Dr. Turrentine reviews the relevant lessons he and his research team at UC Davis have learned in the past 20 years about the electrification of transportation and shares recent findings from his work with BMW in the MINI E program and from the 70 Northern California Automobile Association households who have participated in the PH&EV center PRIUS PHEV conversion program.

• battery storage
• behavior
• social change
• transportation fuel

Electrification of transportation has been in the making for over 100 years. Clearly, today, there is a high degree of interest in the three E's - environment, economy, and energy. At Ford we want to make sure we are doing our part. The biggest impact we can make is ensuring the vehicles we produce are delivering the best possible value to our customers including not only their quality, safety, reliability and features, functions and connectivity, but also ensuring that their energy efficiency is best in class and reason to buy. On this last point, keys for success are vehicle and fuel delivery technologies with the capability and costs to meet customer needs affordably while at the same time delivering a sustainable business for all involved in the value chain. At Ford Motor Company, we view electrified transportation as including full hybrids, plug-in hybrids and full battery electric vehicles - vehicles that directly displace oil with use of electricity and can be propelled for some distance and usable speed down the road entirely in electric drive mode. This session shall explore Ford's approach to making electrification a growing and sustainable part of the vehicle fleet including the technologies, challenges, and enablers.

• battery storage
• energy efficiency
• industry expertise
• transportation fuel