With plug-in hybrid electric vehicles promising to be the in between step to rid us of our addition to foreign oil, there are mounting concerns about how PHEVs will impact our nation’s power grids. But the Michigan Public Service Commission has decided to tackle the subject head on and has announced a program that will help assess PHEV’s affects on the state’s power grid.
The program will use actual plug-in hybrid vehicles to determine what effects they have on the local power supply. The MPSC doesn’t currently have the backing of any major automakers, but is encouraging The Big Three to join the program. The MPSC will also be inviting the state’s utility companies and other related organizations to join the program.
“As the automotive leader of the world, Michigan is uniquely equipped to lead the effort to integrate plug-in hybrid vehicles into its electric grid,” MPSC Chairman Orjiakor Isiogu told The Detroit News. “The success of plug-in hybrid vehicles is dependent on the deployment of intelligent grid technology.”
In addition to discovering what effects plug-in hybrids will have on the power grid, the MPSC will also be examining how the PHEVs could help return power to the system during peak daytime hours.
