25 Nov 2009 HEADLINE

Now's the Time to Plug-in, Houston

By Jason Few

Imagine, for a moment, Texas with a growing fleet of electric vehicles. Our environment would be better off, because fully electric vehicles have no emissions. We would need less gasoline and diesel to power our cars, so we would need less imported oil. And because electric vehicles cost less to maintain and operate than conventional vehicles, drivers would save some money.

Public incentives might allow electric vehicles access to HOV lanes. Retailers might offer free charging and preferred parking. You might sell power back to the power grid by day, earning extra money while you work. Companies like Reliant Energy could provide charging stations, transforming home garages and parking lots into the filling stations of the future.

In Houston, we are already getting started. Last week, the city of Houston and Reliant launched an ambitious program to bring plug-in vehicles here. The “Power of the Plug-In” pilot includes 10 city-owned Toyota Priuses converted to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and 10 charging stations. Seven of the 10 stations will be available to the public.

Houston's enthusiasm for the automobile makes it a terrific place to embark on electrification. The city, according to Rice University sociologist Stephen Klineberg, was built on behalf of the automobile. Indeed, the number of vehicle miles traveled in Houston increased 36 percent between 1990 and 2000, and is expected to rise an additional 46 percent by 2022, according to Texas A&M University's Texas Transportation Institute.

We all know how fossil fuels sustain our economy and drive growth. The U.S. transportation sector consumes nearly 14 million barrels of petroleum each day — more than the total oil consumption of any other nation in the world. And we are all familiar with the consequences, pollution among them. Even here in the energy capital of the world, there is considerable debate about the effects of carbon emissions on global warming.

Wider use of electric vehicles will help cut emissions, even if the electricity that powers them is generated from coal. When charged solely with no-carbon electricity — for instance at night when there is more wind generation — their emissions fall to zero. While today electric cars might cost more than traditional vehicles, prices will fall with the introduction of mass market all-electric vehicles. Coupled with the lower cost-per-mile and maintenance needs of electric motors, the broad adoption of electric vehicles will be transformational for consumers in Texas and across the globe.

Another advantage of electric vehicles is how they fit into the broader electric infrastructure, which is being driven by innovation and choice, especially in competitive markets such as Texas. Reliant has already introduced smart electricity for homeowners, allowing them to better manage energy consumption and cost. The electric vehicle will take full advantage of the smart grid, allowing you to charge your vehicle at times when demand for electricity and prices are both low.

Electric cars are closer than you might think. This week, our parent company, NRG Energy, joined with automakers, utilities, battery manufacturers, smart grid and infrastructure companies to form the Electrification Coalition. The group's goal: to help guide the transformation of light-duty ground transportation from fossil fuels to electricity. And last week Nissan and Reliant announced an agreement to promote broader adoption of electric vehicles in Houston and around the nation at the launch of Nissan's all electric LEAF, the first mass-market zero-emission vehicle.

Through these efforts — including the “Power of the Plug-in” pilot with the city — we will learn more about how plug-in vehicles perform, what infrastructure and services are needed, and how to develop the policies and incentives needed to make electric vehicles simple, practical and attractive. With all of these elements coming together here, Houston and Texas will be among the first to see the benefits.

Houston is a city that has always embraced the future, especially in energy. We blazed a trail for the oil economy. We're embracing renewable wind and solar energy. And NRG Energy is leading a nuclear revival with plans to add two more no-carbon plants in South Texas. Indeed, we see a future where low- and no-carbon energy will play a pivotal role in the electrification of light-duty vehicles.

There will be challenges, but I believe Houston can meet them. Join us as together we start to transform transportation as we know it and to create the electric city of the future.

Few is president of Reliant Energy.