BTW

Grid-Guzzling Hybrids?

By David Kiley

If plug-in hybrid cars account for 20% of new-car sales in the U.S. by 2020, as many forecast, between 8 and 160 new power plants will be needed, says the Energy Dept.’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. Why the wide range? It depends on when car owners recharge their autos. Best is after 10 p.m., when capacity is greatest. Indeed, the Energy Dept. reckons 84% of the country’s auto owners could switch to hybrids without overwhelming the electrical grid—if they recharge during off-peak hours. But “consumers’ inclination will be to plug in when convenient rather than when utilities prefer,” says Oak Ridge researcher Stan Hadley, who directed the study. Utilities will have to educate people to wait until dark—or get ready for a lot of new construction.