[labman]

I found an interesting article on using the batteries in electric cars to back up the electric grid. Of course, we must have electric cars to do it. But doing so, could make the pay back for electric cars better. It is in the 7 Jan 08 issue of Forbes magazine, ''A Light bulb Goes ON'' by Joann Muller. It should be available at www.forbes.com Monday. The idea is charge up the cars at night when demand is low, and then feed power back in peak periods or outages. Understand I don't buy this completely, but want to see what some others have to say. A Toyota Scion can discharge 19 kw to the house and on to the grid. Now the quoted figure of a house using 1.5 kw seems low to me. Still, my 6 kw generator had no problems the only outage since I had it hooked up.

With the problems of generators back feeding the grid, I wonder about hundreds of cars. Of course, the power company would be in charge of the switching, and wouldn't be using suicide cords.

They claim it would work even with the afternoon power peak hitting just before afternoon rush hour.

[Stratmando]

The Conversion is not cost effective, Sun to 12? Volts, 12? Volts through inverter to Electric co. I would use solar panel to charge Car, Excess is sent back to coop, you still have your vehicle.
DC or electric cars are not free, Electricity cost money to charge. A solar panel(s) can make it free. If you are not using Battery Car, then sell back to elec co.
Personally I like 12 Volt lighting , fans, communications, everything on 12 volts.
Solars charge 12 volts, everything runs 12 volts. Many Possibilitys especially in remote locations. I am a Electrical Contractor, but love 12 volts because everything works on it, alarm systems, cameras, everything, Once at 12 volts, Keep at 12 volts, unless it requires 120/240 volts, Inverters lose.