PowerStream, Nissan Show Electric Vehicle Powering a Home

BARRIE, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - June 1, 2012) -

Editor's note: There are two photos associated with this press release.

PowerStream and Nissan Canada at the Georgian College Auto Show today demonstrated, for the first time in Canada, the latest innovation in electric vehicle technology, a system where a fully or partially charged battery in an electric vehicle (EV) can provide power to a home.

Referred to as 'vehicle-to-home" (V2H) and developed by the Nissan Motor Company, the technology can help Ontario homeowners on time-of-use (TOU) rates, who own a Nissan LEAF "100% electric, zero gas, zero tailpipe" vehicle, to better manage their electricity costs through load shifting as well as provide a back up power source for their homes for up to four hours during an outage.

The demonstration, which continues through the weekend in the PowerStream booth at the auto show, involves the use of a Nissan LEAF plugged into a power control system (PCS) that enables the car's battery to power lights, appliances and other devices in the home. An automatic transfer switch (ATS) allows for the home's electricity supply source to be switched from the power grid to the battery in the EV through the PCS.

PowerStream and Nissan believe this system will allow households to be supplied with a stable amount of electricity throughout the day and reduce any potential burdens on the current power supply by charging and storing electricity in Nissan LEAF with electricity generated at night or through sustainable methods such as solar power, and using it during high demand periods.

For example, electricity customers in Ontario on TOU rates using the V2H power supply technology can load shift by charging the batteries in their Nissan LEAF from the power grid during off-peak pricing periods and then supply the stored electricity back to the home during on-peak pricing periods.

The output from the Nissan LEAF can provide enough power to operate high electricity-consuming appliances in the home, such as an air conditioner, stove, refrigerator, washing machine and dryer, at the same time for approximately a full day.

"As a global leader in the development and sale of electric vehicles, we know it is crucial to partner with companies like PowerStream to expand the use of this technology and to open doors to more consumers," said Allen Childs, President of Nissan Canada. "The public debut of V2H in Canada today will drive new advancements and collaboration in the auto industry of tomorrow. V2H will foster literal connections, such as those between vehicles, infrastructure, the Internet, and the nation's electrical grid, and the connections and relationships between engineers who are developing the next generation vehicle technology."

Frank Scarpitti, PowerStream's Board Chair and Mayor of the Town of Markham, applauded the introduction of the V2H technology, explaining how consumers can benefit.

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PowerStream, Nissan Show Electric Vehicle Powering a Home