Electric car maker BYD to charge into home energy

[kristopher]

Another "I told you so" to those who can't quite grasp the power of creating a market for the technologies we need to address climate change.

Electric car maker BYD to charge into home energy
by Martin LaMonica
April 26, 2010 11:38 AM PDT

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--Chinese battery manufacturer BYD, which is readying a line of all-electric vehicles, plans to introduce a home energy suite that includes solar panels and batteries.

BYD, which gained prominence in the U.S. when Warren Buffet invested in the company, plans to start testing its all-electric e6 sedan in the U.S. later this year, said Michael Austin, vice president of BYD America.

High-volume auto battery manufacturing helps the company's entry into home energy products by bringing costs down, he said here on Monday at the Lux Executive Summit during a panel on energy storage. BYD plans to supply solar panels, battery packs, car charging pedestals, efficient LED lighting, and inverters to manage energy flow within a home, Austin said.

"The vehicle market is driving scale for the energy market and we're already well below $500 per kilowatt-hour (for batteries)," he said. BYD electric cars will have a range of about 250 miles, he added.

Two weeks ago, BYD announced a partnership with KB Homes to build a low-energy home in Lancaster, Calif., which is equipped with solar panels and batteries and costs about the same as comparable new homes, according to Austin. BYD America plans to offer similar systems elsewhere in the world. In the U.S. it will target communities where homeowners can finance energy-efficiency investments through property taxes over 20 years.

...company plans to introduce its home energy line in China this year, he added.

The 15-year-old company started out... http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20003421-54.html

[kristopher]

1. Kick

[Ready4Change]

2. If we don't do this, other nations will.

Are we going to be leaders or has-beens?

[diane in sf]

3. China will democratize home power by making it affordable to everyone. It's

already cheaper to have small solar systems for night lighting and light use in places like India and Chinathan buying batteries and/or kerosene for a generator.