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PPL Challenge #1:
Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Electric Powered Vehicles
PPL Challenge #2:
Loss of Eastern Hemlocks to the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
PPL Challenges Timeline & Procedures
PPL Challenge #1:
Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Electric Powered Vehicles
Present a business case that describes the degree to which Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G)
cars could increase the reliability of energy in the electric grid. Your case
should state why PPL should or should not** invest research monies related to
the development of Vehicle-to-Grid technologies.
**Please note: Your research may
indicate this is not a feasible investment for PPL. Winners will be selected
based on the effectiveness of their research and quality of their solution, not
on whether they chose to fund this research or not.
BACKGROUND
Electric-drive vehicles may become an important resource for the electric
utility industry, with benefits by reducing air pollution, increasing system
reliability and saving money. The concept is that the electricity-producing
component of an electric vehicle may be used to provide power back to the
utility power grid when the vehicle is not in use. This type of technology is
called VEHICLE-TO-GRID (V2G).
There currently are three types of V2G vehicles under study: battery, hybrid,
and fuel cell. Hybrid V2G vehicles burn gasoline or natural gas to produce
electricity. The battery and fuel cell V2G produce no emissions. The hybrid ones
produce lesser amounts than the current petroleum-powered vehicles.
It is estimated that 92% of the automobiles in the United States sit idle at any
one time. If each of these idle vehicles was hooked up to a power grid and
provided power, the total sum of the added power has the potential to support
the integrity of the power supply system.
BENEFITS
V2G vehicles may provide an income resource to their owners, may provide system
reliability to the power grid, may reduce dependence on foreign oil supplies,
and may reduce air pollution. Your vehicle may be able to produce supplemental
power to your house. Another potential benefit could be the addition of this
green and renewable type of power to a utilities’ generation portfolio.
IMPEDIMENTS/SUGGESTED APPROACHES & CONSIDERATIONS
The power industry, the vehicle makers, and the general public need to be
educated on benefits of V2G vehicles, specifically: the economics, the logistics
of getting vehicles tied into the grid system and controlling the flow of power
to and from the vehicles, and the potential decrease in air pollution from
conventional vehicles and power plants.
One conceptual barrier to understanding V2Gs as a power source is an initial
belief that their power would be unpredictable or unavailable because they would
be on the road. As mentioned above, this is not the case as most cars sit idle.
The cost of the power produced by these vehicles is not currently competitive
with the base load power costs. They become more attractive when compared to
highest peak load or other ancillary power needs.
The initial cost of the vehicles may be higher than conventional vehicles and
they may not have the long distance capability. Furthermore, the logistics have
to be ironed out for connecting the V2G to the power grid, controlling the power
supply based on need, and metering of the vehicle.
If these costs are compared to the cost for upgrading or building additional
power plants with all the current air quality equipment requirements, the
economics may begin to grow more favorable.
PPL EXPECTATIONS
PPL expects the team to research V2G vehicles to learn more about their
potential to provide greater electric grid reliability at an economical price,
provide benefit to the consumer, and to reduce pollution. Then the team should
decide if and why PPL should invest research monies to fund further studies and
development of this technology. Please note: Your research may indicate this is
not a feasible investment for PPL. Winners will be selected based on the
effectiveness of their research and quality of their solution, not on whether
they chose to fund this research or not.
SUGGESTED RESEARCH AREAS
http://www.udel.edu/V2G/
http://www.acpropulsion.com/Veh_Grid_Power/Veh_grid_power.htm
http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0729/p17s02-stct.html
http://www.acpropulsion.com/Press%20releases/V2G_Demo_release.htm
http://www.v2gs.com/Resources/V2GStudy.pdf
http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/icat/projects/ac.htm
http://www.greenmtn.edu/news/V2G.asp
http://www.udel.edu/V2G/V2G-PUF-LetendKemp2002.pdf
http://www.pjm.com/index.jsp
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PPL Challenge #2:
Loss of Eastern Hemlocks to the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
Develop a
plan that will address the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid infestation that threatens the
health of Eastern hemlock trees. Teams should consider short-term strategies to
control the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid population as well as long-term forest
management planning. Research the different management techniques to develop
the most cost-efficient and effective plan.
BACKGROUND
The Hemlock
Woolly Adelgid (HWA) is a small, but serious insect pest that poses a serious
threat to the Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) in the northeastern states.
Adelgids are small, soft-bodied insects that are closely related to aphids and
are not native to North America. They feed on the young hemlock twigs at the
base of the needles. The egg sacs of these insects look like the tips of cotton
swabs clinging to the undersides of hemlock  branches.
Biologists believe the insect injects toxic saliva by inserting their
piercing-sucking mouthparts into the base of the needles and removing plant
fluids while feeding, and as a result, needles prematurely fall off the tree and
branches die back. If infested, entire mature trees may die in as little as two
to four years. The loss of this species will have an impact on the ecology of
the remaining forest.
IMPEDIMENTS/SUGGESTED
APPROACHES & CONSIDERATIONS
Biologists,
forest managers, and many others are currently studying this issue, so the
success of several management techniques remains to be seen.
Teams should
list any positive or negative environmental and ecological impacts that have
been documented as a result of the decline of this tree species. Describe how
your proposed management plan accounts for this loss.
Teams should
consider timing of their suggested management techniques. (For example, if
spraying insecticide is a recommendation, teams should know the best time of
year to spray – based on the life cycle of the insect, the effectiveness of the
spray, impact on the environment, etc.)
PPL EXPECTATIONS
PPL expects
the team to research the impact of the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) and be able
to make management recommendations on how landowners can minimize the negative
environmental impacts caused by the loss of the Eastern hemlocks. Teams should
be able to back up their management decision with facts.
SUGGESTED RESEARCH AREAS
U.S.
Department of Agriculture
www.usda.gov
U.S. Forest
Service
www.fs.fed.us
Pennsylvania
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR)
www.dcnr.state.pa.us
Penn State Cooperative Extension
www.extension.psu.edu
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PPL Timeline &
Procedures:
Registration Forms Submittal (also complete written proposal submittal instructions, below) — Be sure to view the rules,
registration and forms.
You must submit
completed
registration forms
and
contract forms
for the PPL Challenge
via US postal mail to:
Let's Get Real
624
Waltonville Road,
Hummelstown, PA 17036
by
January
28, 2005
Written Proposal —You must submit your written proposal for the PPL Challenge
via e-mail to
mewelker@pplweb.com by January 28, 2005.
Oral Presentation — Your team coordinator will be notified around
February 25, 2005 whether or not you are
selected to give an oral presentation. If you are, the presentation will
tentatively be held on Friday, April 1, 2005
at PPL Headquarters in Allentown, PA. You will be sent directions and an
agenda after finalists are selected.
PPL Awards for Winning Teams
Each student on the winning team will receive 1
share of PPL Corporation Stock, and a winner’s certificate. Also, the winning
team will receive a team trophy suitable for the school’s trophy case. The
runner-up team (if one is selected) will receive a team trophy and each of the
students will receive runner-up certificates. All students taking part in the
PPL Oral Presentation will receive a Let’s Get Real T-shirt.
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