A University of Delaware technology that could change the energy world is on a roll. The university has signed the first license for its vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology with AutoPort, Inc., a vehicle processing and modification facility in New Castle, DE. Under terms of the licensing agreement, AutoPort has been granted non-exclusive rights in the area of commercial fleet vehicles. The agreement launches the first large-scale demonstration of the UD-developed V2G technology, which enables electric car owners to plug in their vehicles and send electricity back to electrical utilities. The system is designed to generate cash for the driver while strengthening the nation’s power supply and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.<\/p>\n
The UD agreement with AutoPort stands to benefit not only the owners of electric cars but also the regional economy and the university, which will gain R&D experience as the technology goes into real-world use. If the initial test is successful and V2G vehicles are subsequently manufactured, the university would receive a royalty for each vehicle sold with V2G equipment. During the next year, AutoPort plans to retrofit the first 100 V2G cars as a proof-of-concept demonstration of the technology, which was developed by Willett Kempton, PhD, a professor in UD’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment, and UD research fellow Jasna Tomic, PhD.<\/p>\n
AutoPort will work with major companies in the area to demonstrate the V2G concept, according to Dick Johnson, the company’s director of business development. A minimum of 60 vehicles is needed to produce one megawatt of power when the vehicles are plugged into the grid. AutoPort is presently completing four vehicles for the State of Delaware and expects to have the first 100 vehicles produced in the next 12 to 18 months, according to Johnson. “We believe there is a great potential to increase the number of conversions from hundreds to thousands of vehicles, and this means a significant growth of jobs for Delaware,” he says. “The estimate for additional jobs at a thousand conversions is approximately 250. So as the numbers increase, so do jobs for Delaware.”<\/p>\n