Anto
12-17-2009, 05:55 PM
Link (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/16/AR2009121604163.html)
By Ed O'Keefe
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, December 17, 2009
"From horse-drawn wagons to stage coaches, trains and 18-wheelers, the U.S. Postal Service has used virtually every mode of transportation to deliver the mail. But a New York lawmaker says it's time for the mail service to start using at least 20,000 electric vehicles to stamp out the agency's environmental waste.
The Postal Service said it operates the largest civilian fleet of vehicles in the world, with about 220,000 vehicles traveling more than 1.2 billion miles each year. The agency's entire fleet consumed 121 million gallons of fuel in 2008, costing it roughly $1.3 billion, officials said. Agency vehicles average 10.4 miles a gallon since most drive slowly and make frequent stops between mailboxes.
Rep. Jose E. Serrano (D-N.Y.) wants to put the postal fleet to use during off-hours to help alleviate the nation's overworked power grids. He introduced a bill Wednesday that would give eventually give $2 billion to the Energy Department and Postal Service to convert current mail trucks or manufacture new ones that use vehicle-to-grid technology or V2G, as it's known.
The technology allows electricity to flow from plug-in electric or battery-powered vehicles to power lines, feeding excess electricity to the vehicles when they're not in use. In this case, postal vehicles would become temporary storage units for electricity. When necessary, power grids could retrieve electricity from the vehicles.
Delaware began rewarding consumers who use V2G this year. It compensates them for electricity sent back to the grid at the same rate they pay for electricity they consume..."
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This is a no brainer. Why did the USPS wait this long? In the big cities and suburbs, the mail carrier's don't need a delivery vehicle to drive 100 miles per charge and top speed of 80 mph...40 mpc and a top speed of 30 mph would be more than sufficient. The postal office could also install solar panels on their buildings, during the day they can feed the electric grid receiveing credit and at night when the electric rates are lower, the electric vehicles can be recharged. Win win situation.
Only the government can scew it up :).
By Ed O'Keefe
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, December 17, 2009
"From horse-drawn wagons to stage coaches, trains and 18-wheelers, the U.S. Postal Service has used virtually every mode of transportation to deliver the mail. But a New York lawmaker says it's time for the mail service to start using at least 20,000 electric vehicles to stamp out the agency's environmental waste.
The Postal Service said it operates the largest civilian fleet of vehicles in the world, with about 220,000 vehicles traveling more than 1.2 billion miles each year. The agency's entire fleet consumed 121 million gallons of fuel in 2008, costing it roughly $1.3 billion, officials said. Agency vehicles average 10.4 miles a gallon since most drive slowly and make frequent stops between mailboxes.
Rep. Jose E. Serrano (D-N.Y.) wants to put the postal fleet to use during off-hours to help alleviate the nation's overworked power grids. He introduced a bill Wednesday that would give eventually give $2 billion to the Energy Department and Postal Service to convert current mail trucks or manufacture new ones that use vehicle-to-grid technology or V2G, as it's known.
The technology allows electricity to flow from plug-in electric or battery-powered vehicles to power lines, feeding excess electricity to the vehicles when they're not in use. In this case, postal vehicles would become temporary storage units for electricity. When necessary, power grids could retrieve electricity from the vehicles.
Delaware began rewarding consumers who use V2G this year. It compensates them for electricity sent back to the grid at the same rate they pay for electricity they consume..."
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This is a no brainer. Why did the USPS wait this long? In the big cities and suburbs, the mail carrier's don't need a delivery vehicle to drive 100 miles per charge and top speed of 80 mph...40 mpc and a top speed of 30 mph would be more than sufficient. The postal office could also install solar panels on their buildings, during the day they can feed the electric grid receiveing credit and at night when the electric rates are lower, the electric vehicles can be recharged. Win win situation.
Only the government can scew it up :).