vehicle-to-grid

VW has been investing in electric vehicles big time. For ages nerds like me have been waxing poetic about how electric vehicles that integrate with the grid, not just taking electricity but able to put it back when needed, would strengthen the grid. However, the batteries in electric vehicles have been too precious to risk reducing their lifespan. The industry is getting more confident now. The Nissan Leaf can do it. VW just announced that their vehicles next year will be able to. Tesla might announce it. 

woohoo!

The national EV charging network is a priority under the new and now possible infrastructure bill. Transportation is the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions in the US. $174 billion to spur the development and adoption of EVs including money to retool factories and boost domestic supply of materials (ex. China is currently the battery world leader, and China  >>Taiwan << makes the computer chips the auto industry doesn't have enough of), tax incentives for EV buyers - which can be an instant rebate instead of forcing you to wait until tax time, and grant and incentive programs for installing more charging infrastructure. (I personally am hoping for a cap on the value of the cars that qualify because I don't think taxpayers should subsidize luxury vehicles and I don't think people who can afford $70K cars need help Also, I think a program that cuts off at a set cost will encourage more vehicles at that cost or below). He would increase charging infrastructure by five times. 


In the Before Times I was hired to save a renewable energy center. A few months in I met one of our funders and learned we were doomed. DOOMED. My employee was with me. I didn't want to look devastated in front of him so I faked optimism and continued to fake optimism. (I did, in the end, bring in a bunch of money and set up two revenue streams that would fully fund the center. Yes, I'm all that.) I kept trying, not because I was optimistic, but because I might be wrong.


I feel the same way about climate change. We're doomed. We can all do our individual best but we're doomed. The costs of renewable energy have plummeted, solar and wind and lithium-ion batteries are competitive with coal. Electric vehicles will soon have the same upfront cost as gas vehicles. WOW. It is astounding. And it isn't enough. Electric cars are cool. We need to not have cars. More bikes. More public transit. Less consumption. Drastic decrease in emissions. 


But now we have plans for the most emitting country on the planet to invest trillions cleaning up its economy. This is big. Huge. Maybe we will make it.