The Smart Garage

     IMAGE: RMI

For several decades now, the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) has become known for their cutting-edge research on renewable energy technology (Soft Energy Paths), resource planning expertise, and more. Recently, they also launched their Built Environment Team (BET) and Mobility + Vehicle Efficiency Team (MOVE).

A key part of MOVE, launched in 2007, has been to explore efficiency solutions in core automotive and trucking sectors. And a relatively new initiative in this area has been the Smart Garage, a sweeping concept that addresses the seamless integration of vehicles, homes and offices via the electric power grid. RMI hosted the Smart Garage Charrette October 8 to 10 in Portland, Oregon featuring an impressive line-up of participants who represent a wide range of transportation, technology and sustainability consulting areas.

The Smart Garage, according to RMI is:

“…is a new energy paradigm focused on the integration of how we use energy. It is made possible by the convergence of energy in the transportation, electricity grid and building sector enabled by plug-in vehicles. It combines key industry endeavors such as smart charging, Vehicle to Grid, V2Building, and the smart grid.

Smart Garage bridges the transportation, building and electric power sectors by providing electricity as a low-carbon fuel to vehicles and then using vehicle energy storage for responsive services to the power grid. This optimizes the efficiency of both sectors and enables significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.”

Read more about this breakthrough concept at ForbesAutos.com and RMI/MOVE.