Smart Grid

By commandeering smart thermostats and water heaters and sipping power from in-home EV chargers, virtual power plants are being formed across the country. Here's how they work and how they help green energy efforts.

Back in 2015, Gogoro proposed setting up a network of battery-swapping stations for riders of its electric smartscooter. Now the company operates thousands of them, and has partnered with Enel X to have the network serve as virtual power plants.

According to new research from MIT and the Argonne National Laboratory, throttling the use of nuclear power plants could compensate the output of renewable energy sources and lead to lower energy bills.​

​Researchers at the University of Warwick have demonstrated a new “smart grid” system whereby idle electric vehicle (EV) batteries could power large buildings, while still having enough power to complete the vehicle's daily journeys.

A new battery devised at the University of Maryland uses a high concentration of lithium salts in water to create high-voltage, green, safe energy storage for the smart grid and safety-centric applications.

Renault has been testing a smart-charging system designed to reduce costs and lower the impact of car charging on the electrical grid.

In an advance that could help photoelectrochemical cells (PECs) play a stronger role within the smart grid, researchers at the University of Texas, Arlington have found a way to store the electricity generated by this clean energy source for extended periods of time.

The electricity from braking electric trains can now be efficiently reused thanks to a program carried out by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA).

Toyota plans to begin testing of a two-way vehicle-to-home charging system later this year.

A smart system for charging electric vehicles currently under development and known as ELVIIS would allow drivers to plug their EV into any power outlet, and identify the best energy deal.

Not one to give up on a good idea, LG has announced the launch of the Smart Refrigerator.

Xcel Energy customers in Boulder Colorado can now benefit from the company's real-time monitoring and management power grid system as the world's first Smart Grid City infrastructure goes live