Finally, electric vehicles can make their entrance to the automobile industry as Ford, Detroit Edison and Xtreme Power are joining together to construct Michigan’s hugest solar power generation systems as well as vehicle charging stations at Ford’s Assembly Plant in Wayne.
In the Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant, Detroit Edison will be installing a 500 KW solar photovoltaic panel systems. The energy system will have a 750-Kilowatt of energy storage capacity, which will be able to retain 2 million watt hours of energy in batteries. This is equivalent to what 100 average households in Michigan consume per annum.
The Michigan Assembly solar energy system is expected to benefit Ford with cost saving on energy amounting up to $160,000 a year. The clean energy harnessed through the solar energy system is expected to support Ford’s Focus electric cars and coming plug-in hybrid vehicles.
The alternative energy that is going to be captured through the solar energy system is going to support the introduction of fuel-efficient small cars, like the new Focus and Focus Electric which are going to be on the market by 2011. Plug-in hybrid vehicles and the next-generation hybrid vehicles are going into production in 2012.
A second phase is also envisaged, where a smaller solar energy system will be incorporated to cater for the lighting system at Ford’s Michigan Assembly plant.
In Michigan, These solar array systems will be the largest of its kind and is expected to cut energy expenses at Michigan Assembly by $160,000 per annum. The installation is predicted to commence in the coming month of 2010.
According to Ford’s vice President in the North America Manufacturing, Jim Tetreault, merging alternative sources of energy into an industrial facility will help comprehend how energy storage and smart-grid technologies function. He also mentioned that the current project is a step to transform “Michigan Assembly from a large SUV factory to a modern, flexible, and sustainable small car plant.”
Solar Energy Heading Towards A Source For Sustainable development in Michigan
This project involves the installation of a 500-kw solar photovoltaic panel system at Ford’s Assembly plant in Michigan. It will also have a 750-kilowatt energy storage resource that can withhold enough energy to power up to 100 average homes for a whole year. The Power Management system and Dynamic Power Resource on site energy storage is being provided by Xtreme Power of Austin, Texas.
Detroit Edison is planning to install more photovoltaic systems as it is the pilot phase of its SolarCurrents program. The scheme aims at establishing photovoltaic systems of 15 megawatts of energy on rooftops or on properties across Southeast Michigan.
The funds for the project have been made available through a $2 million grant obtained from Michigan Public Service Commission for the support of smart-grid initiative and $3 million direct investment by Detroit Edison’s SolarCurrent program and roughly $800,000 provided by Ford.
Setting An Example for Sustainable Energy
The newly renovated Michigan Assembly plant will use both conventional and renewable electricity. The solar energy will be directly injected into a micro-grid providing energy to the plant. However, during days when the plant is inactive like on holidays, the solar energy collected will be stored in the energy storage system. This spare capacity can then be used when there is not enough sunlight or when the electricity demand is high.
The energy storage system will also re-charge directly from the grid at off-peak hours, as the electricity is available at a cheaper cost. The result is that inexpensive electricity can be used during peak hours, so that a margin of profit can be gained directly from consuming stored off-peak hour energy.
Carlos Coe, CEO, Xtreme Power says that they do mutually pursue the same goal as Ford, which is to promote an environmentally sustainable model of energy generation in the United States of America. They are also delighted to contribute in making the production of vehicles more environmentally friendly through the integration of renewable energy sources such as solar.
Electric Vehicle Batteries Can Be Charged Through Solar Power
There will be 10 electric vehicle-charging stations set up at the Michigan Assembly plant to better progress in the field of battery technology as well how to use clean energy. For the moment, electric switcher trucks will be charged on these stations.
The power management system for these charging stations will be provided by Xtreme Power.
Ford is known to be an innovative sustainable business as Ford’s Dagenham Diesel Centre in the UK was actually the world’s first automobile plant, running on renewable electricity, generated by an onsite wind-turbine. Furthermore, Ford’s Bridgend Engine Plant located in Wales was Europe’s first car manufacturing plant to connect its solar photovoltaic installation to the electricity grid.
Ford has during the last two years expanded enormously in the use of renewable electricity. For instance, an assembly plant in Cologne, Germany is powered fully by alternative sources of energy. The corporation is already contributing to the environment by having decreased greenhouse gas emissions by estimated 190,000 tons per annum. On a world-wide perspective, 3 percent of Ford’s total energy need is generated through renewable.
Source: Wind Energy
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