Though we’re still a long ways away from seeing a plug-in electric vehicle in every household, OnStar has come up with a few things that will help EV owners — namely those of the Chevy Volt — get the most energy for the least amount of money.
Performing the demos this week at DistribuTECH, a smart-grid expo located in San Diego, CA, the demo program is being funded by a $30 million grant from the Transportation Electrification Initiative administered through the Department of Energy as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
OnStar will be demonstrating the following:
Demand Response: those that opt for the service, allowing OnStar to monitor energy usage of Chevy Volt owners, will be able to use the grid more efficiently and save money on energy costs.
Time of Use (TOU) rates: another money-saving method, Volt owners can schedule charging during lower-rate periods thanks to OnStar email notifications informing owners of the best time to charge.
Data gathering: this feature allows OnStar to identify how many charging EVs are in the same area and helps energy providers gauge many different charging scenarios. Energy provides will then be able to have the right amount of data to make an informed decision about whether a component of the grid needs an update.
Vehicle-to-Home Integration Technology: OnStar is working with smart-grid company Tendril to see how well vehicles can integrate with homes in order to more effectively save energy.
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