c300man

Postal Service Set to Lead the Way in Deploying Electric Fleet

Thanks John,

For your answer and reference to your earlier article on frequency regulation. In my more simplistic consideration it is easy to understand a pumped storage facility being filled at night and then being used during the daytime to generate energy when needs are greater. Thinking of many batteries for momentary use for frequency regulation is a different sort of application. So thanks for describing those other sorts of FR systems.

For the PO E-LLV's analysis apparently the assumption is that they would be plugged into the grid at a time they would be really most helpful. If they are in use on the streets during peak energy use times that seems unlikely. They could be providing FR during off use time (5 pm - 7 am) but the need or benefit at that time would seem to be much less.

Postal Service Set to Lead the Way in Deploying Electric Fleet

Hopefully, this project can / will result in an honest and thorough study of battery powered alternative LLV's for the postal service. For the type of use they see, an E-LLV would seem like a good choice.

A point I'm missing is the idea of selling energy back to the grid. I thought the vehicle batteries would be charged at night during their off use hours when electric rates might be lower. In the analysis by the PO is it the overnight period when they expect to sell energy back to the grid? Are they assuming they can sell energy back at some other period when they can receive a higher value? As you say, the E-LLV's are in use delivering mail during peak electrical energy demands.