Plug-In Texas holds first Stakeholder Roundtable in Houston on November 12
with special guest PUCT Chairman Barry Smitherman

Plug-In Texas, a new statewide coalition dedicated to promoting the use of battery electric, plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles in Texas, hosted a Stakeholder Roundtable with its membership and interested Houston area stakeholders on November 12 at Minute Maid Park in Houston. Joining the roundtable as a special guest was Public Utility Commission of Texas Chairman Barry Smitherman.

Smitherman kicked off the roundtable discussion in Houston by addressing public policy implications of electric vehicles, followed by a presentation of the Environment Texas study Plug-In Cars: Powering America Toward a Cleaner Future.

Smitherman noted that electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles address many issues that our country and state are grappling with today: national energy security issues, nonattainment air quality issues, carbon increases, utilizing renewable energy, and providing economic development.

McCall Johnson, clean energy advocate for Environment Texas, presented the organization’s study findings, “Plug-in cars are emerging as an effective way to lower global warming emissions, reduce oil consumption and also reduce smog. The technology exists today but it will take a coherent strategy and considerate action to take full advantage of the potential that plug-ins offer us.” Environment Texas is a founding member of Plug-In Texas.

Additionally, subject matter experts at the Houston Roundtable included Phil Wilson, senior vice president for public affairs at Luminant; Andrew Jetton, director, retail strategy for Reliant Energy; James Tillman, assistant director of finance for the City of Houston; Rob Braziel, chief executive officer of legislative affairs for the Texas Automobile Dealers Association; Dr. Mladen Kezunovic, Eugene. E. Webb Professor of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Texas A&M University; Kate Robertson, an energy efficiency specialist with the Texas chapter of the Environmental Defense Fund; and Shalini Ramanathan, vice president, Development/ South Central U.S., Renewable Energy Systems Americas, Inc.

Many of the panelists acknowledged some of the obstacles that the electric vehicle industry will have to overcome and offered insight on what the industry can offer and what will need to be addressed.

James Tillman of the City of Houston, stated, “As a public institution what we want to do is support the technology, be early adopters and test the technology, and be a good proving ground for it.”

Andrew Jetton from Reliant Energy commented on the role that REPs can play, “There is a lot that needs to get done on the infrastructure side to get this right. It’s going to be a difficult transition for customers to go from a gasoline vehicle to an electric vehicle. I think we can play a role working with auto makers and dealers in making that easy for them by putting together the right package of services that’s not just metering kilowatt hours. It’s really a whole package that could involve infrastructure and other services on their vehicle that gets them the experience that they are promised.”

“From a dealer’s perspective, in terms of selling a product, they are looking at a couple things just like consumers are looking at… Is it a cost that makes sense for the consumer? I think that is really the issue moving forward for consumers and dealers…what is important is that we focus on what can we do in the policy world to bring down that initial cost,” added Rob Braziel of TADA, a founding member of Plug-In Texas.

Texas A&M’s Dr. Mladen Kezunovic stressed the complexities surrounding the adoption of electric vehicles mentioning the different facets of the technology, the interrelation of the infrastructures, the stakeholders, the psychology elements, the policies and economics involved. He said, “There is a need to have a decent size demonstration site or sites of some type…to learn how all these interactions actually unfold.”

Shalini Ramanathan provided a perspective from the wind energy industry, “Here in Texas, with the CREZ process, we are so much further ahead. And what we are about to do is to bring world class wind to market… and if we can couple this with a really well thought-out and well developed electric car system in major metropolitan cities, I think we are going to maximize the value of CREZ…wind blows stronger at night in West Texas and that is when people are going to be likely charging their cars, so the complementarities are really beautiful.”

Kate Robertson of Environmental Defense Fund offered her insight, “Plug in electric hybrids are great for reducing global source emissions but it’s a chance for us to address a wider, more comprehensive set of policies…this is a good chance for us to look at how to use renewables, how to do the storage component …and really figuring out how to do this so we are having some economic benefits from this as well as the environmental benefits.” EDF is a founding member of Plug-In Texas.

Phil Wilson of Luminant, founding member of Plug-In Texas, said of the industry, “It’s a win, win. This truly is non-partisan, taking full advantage of our resources…taking Texas where it can go and why we should each be a part of Plug-In Texas.”

Reliant Energy was the event’s presenting sponsor, and the Association of Electric Companies of Texas provided additional underwriting support. CenterPoint Energy exhibited a Ford Escape and a Toyota Prius converted plug-in electric vehicles for attendees to view. Watch for details on the next Plug-In Texas Roundtable to be held in the DFW area in January 2010.

View the Environment Texas study presentation: Plug-In Cars: Powering America Toward a Cleaner Future