Font ResizeDenmark, one of the leading clean-tech economies of the world, has launched a pioneering initiative to deploy a nationwide infrastructure for the mass adoption of the electric car.
To do so, the state-controlled Danish Oil and Natural Gas Co. has engaged in a public-private partnership between a highly innovative Silicon Valley electric car services company called Better Place. The project focuses on one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century: weaning the world from oil to a sustainable ground transportation system.
The Better Place electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure is based on a new twist to vehicle ownership: the car is separated from ownership of the battery. Batteries will be owned by Better Place. EV owners have the option of charging their vehicle batteries at home or at charging spots strategically deployed in the region. Or, depleted batteries can be exchanged at conveniently located exchange stations.
This addresses a perennial concern of EV owners: how to avoid running out of juice on longer trips before reaching the destination.
In the EV network, long-distance drivers can stop at a battery-switching station and pick up a fresh one and continue their journeys. The average range for an EV used in the system is a respectable 100 miles. The time needed for a battery exchange is less than five minutes — quite impressive.
EV owners will pay a monthly fee to Better
The city of Copenhagen and Better Place are currently working on a citywide pilot EV infrastructure. Initially, most of the charging spots and battery-exchange stations will be scattered around the city. Not surprisingly, there will be more charging spots than exchange stations. The unveiling of the initial infrastructure is expected to be at the Copenhagen (COP 15) climate change conference, which involves 170 nations in mid-December 2009. It is expected that the Better Place network will be fully operational in Denmark by 2011.
The project involves an impressive array of global companies. The EVs are being manufactured by the Renault-Nissan Alliance; the lithium—ion batteries are provided by Automotive Energy Supply Corp. — a Nissan joint venture with NEC; and the battery charging and battery exchange network is being developed by Better Place.
An important feature of the Danish project is that it will provide a way of storing intermittent electricity generated by the country's numerous wind turbines. How? By charging the EV batteries at night when power usage is low. This will maximize the use of wind power. In effect, Denmark will be storing wind power in EV batteries instead of wasting it.
The Copenhagen partnership is not the first major mass market EV deployment project for Better Place.
Early in 2008, the company entered into an agreement with Israel for deploying a network of charging spots and battery switching stations for EVs. The goals of the project are to lessen Israel's dependence on foreign oil and lower emissions. By the end of 2008, the first plugged-in parking lots were opened in the country. Since then, hundreds of charging locations have been deployed around Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Finally, in August, the company deployed battery charging spots in the parking lots of rail stations. It appears that Israel is well on its way to becoming an EV nation via its partnership with Better Place.
The inspiration behind Better Place is world-class Silicon Valley entrepreneur Shai Agassi (no kin of tennis great Andre Agassi). His vision has been to provide practical solutions to minimize the global dependence of cars on oil and reduce air pollution from auto emissions.
The coming together of a highly innovative Silicon Valley company and Denmark, a country enlightened in matters relating to 21st century energy challenges, is a model well worth emulating around the world.
Tapan Munroe, Ph.D., may be reached at tapan@tapanmunroe.com. His latest book-What Makes Silicon Valley Tick?-offers an account of the Valley's enduring economic vitality. It is available at Amazon.com.
