BMW Pushes Solar Power With New Partnership

23/05/2012

They will have the option to purchase or lease the equipment, which Real Goods Solar will install and service.

BMW has taken another step in what is shaping up to be a multifaceted electric vehicle initiative that focuses on spurring infrastructure and lifestyle changes among consumers, as much as touting the vehicles themselves.

A new partnership between BMW and Real Goods Solar, a Louisville, Colo.-based provider of residential and commercial solar technology, will allow owners of current BMW ActiveE experimental electric vehicles and future buyers of the i3, BMW’s first full-production EV scheduled to launch in 2013, to buy solar panels for their homes at up to a 35% discount. They must live in California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts.

They will have the option to purchase or lease the equipment, which Real Goods Solar will install and service. The company’s website lists two 20-year lease options, one with zero down that amortizes equipment costs over the term of the lease, and another where owners pay $5,269 upfront and forgo a monthly payment. The website says the zero-down option has the potential to save ConEd customers in New York $71,036 over 20 years in avoided gas and utility costs, while the prepaid option could save up to $84,599. (Go to the Real Goods Solar website to see how it calculated those savings.)

The savings are potentially so large because the solar array wouldn’t just recharge electric vehicles. It would provide energy to the whole house for air conditioning, appliances and heating water, for example.

This announcement builds on BMW’s previous partnership announced earlier this year with Tendril Inc. The Boulder, Colo.-based firm provides software infrastructure to connect homes to the electrical grid and optimize energy usage. These so-called “smart homes” can communicate with the “smart grid” to charge up vehicles when electricity demand is low, which not only saves consumers money, but also keeps the grid from getting overtaxed.

The fact that BMW’s approach to selling electric vehicles is more holistic than efforts by other automakers thus far is encouraging, because the changes that need to occur for EVs to reach significant adoption go way beyond simply swapping a gas engine for an electric motor in each car.

BY LMY

Same Category

Energy saving tips for your winter

04/10/2024

Clean energy brings stable electricity supply to Truong Sa Archipelago 02/11/2022
Energy shifting towards a green economy 07/10/2021
Reduce your energy bills this fall with these tips 28/09/2021
Looking to save on your energy bill? Here are some easy tips 28/09/2021

10 ways to save water at home 26/09/2021

As we face these effects of climate change, conserving water becomes increasingly important. Saving water also means saving money; the average American family spends more than $1,000 on water a year, which can be diminished significantly by addressing the way we use water in our daily lives.
Saving electricity – Practical tips that cut through the noise 26/09/2021

Power is essential for lighting and running appliances at homes and in businesses. With its ever-increasing costs, consumers constantly compare electricity in addition to other practical ways to save electricity.
Energy saving tips for the home – 7 ways to lower your bills 26/09/2021

Worried about soaring gas prices? Our energy saving tips for the home are a great way to lower gas and electricity bills and save precious cash
Quantum chemists conjure recipe to turn gold, silver and copper into vessels of green energy 23/09/2021

Quantum chemists believe gold, silver and copper could help the world take a leap towards green energy after discovering that compounds based on these metal elements and hydrogen are very promising candidates for hydrogen storage.
As heating bills go up, put your energy into keeping costs down 16/09/2021

With wholesale energy prices soaring, millions of householders will face bigger bills next month. But there are ways to save.
5 easy ways to improve energy efficiency 16/09/2021

In addition to navigating a deadly pandemic, improving energy efficiency is likely the top priority for today’s building owners facing costly, mandatory retrofits by 2025.
How to solve the investment puzzle of clean energy transitions in the developing world 19/02/2021

This article looks into three areas where efforts are needed to accelerate investments in clean energy transitions
Viet Nam News Economy Lessons from solar: Rush to invest in wind power plants to get high tariffs could overload grid 09/02/2020

The rush to invest in wind energy to take advantage of the Government's pricing incentives could lead to overloading of the national grid in a repeat of the solar scenario, experts warn.