Here's a novel idea to ponder: One day, your car could be the power source for your home electrical work. That's right, electric cars are being primed to send electricity from their batteries back into the home and even to the electric grid. They aren't full-time power sources, of course, but cars do have the potential to get you through a power outage and even help you save money on your electric bills. Read on to find out how.

Upending the Human-Car Relationship

The typical relationship between electric cars and our home electrical work is a one-way street – you fill up the car's battery from a home charging station, a process that takes hours. However, new fast-charging technology that is becoming available has a second intriguing function: it also allows the car to discharge electricity into the home. Nissan has already developed a system that would allow the car to hook up to home electrical work and keep it running in an emergency.

The battery in the Nissan Leaf holds enough energy to power a typical home for about 24 hours, longer if you take energy conservation measures. It won't keep the power on forever, but it's enough to keep the lights on and the fridge cold for a while during an outage. Even more impressive, since cars are, after all, mobile, the autos could be driven to areas in need of power in the event of a black-out to help with emergency services.

Smoothing Out Demand

The next step would be to use cars to actually sell electricity back to the grid. In a twist on time-of-day pricing, in which electricity costs more during the day and less at night, manufacturers envision a day when our cars are used as giant storage batteries, soaking up electricity at night when it's cheap and then discharging it back to the grid during the day to help even out demand and reduce bills at the same time.

With the right technology in place, utility companies could control exactly how much electricity comes and goes from plugged-in cars. This could reduce expenses dramatically, because it costs a bundle to bring on incremental power sources to meet extra demand during the day.

A Vision of the Future

This futuristic vision of the electrical grid isn't here yet, but the technology already exists. As more and more electric cars hit the road, we get closer to realizing their potential as mobile power storage devices as well as human transportation vehicles.

To find out if your home is suitable for an electric car charging station, call a local electrician today.

Being able to run a successful small business takes an exceptional amount of hard work and know-how, but even then you are not guaranteed to make a profit. While talent and dedication to your craft are major pieces to the formula of success, sometimes you simply need an outside perspective to gain the ability to see the whole picture of what could make or break your Des Moines business. For example, consider a local bakery. While it takes expert levels of knowledge to bake an excellent bread and to create the types of cakes and pastries that keep customers returning to your store, your bakery could benefit greatly from a visit by the local electricians at Electrical Gurus. Not only do we offer the electrical maintenance services that can keep every business up and running, but we also can assist your business by creating specialty lighting to enhance your storefront and bring in even more customers.

The speciality lighting services offered by the electrical contractors at Electrical Gurus have a vast number of benefits for a local business such as a bakery. While our professional staff can obviously handle the electrical installation, our designers can create specialty lighting that highlights not only the exterior of your bakery but also improves the interior. From creating lighting for display cases that showcase your delicious cupcakes and French breads to vibrant menus and shop signs that attract business, our specialty lighting electrical service will certainly improve the way customers see your business.

If you are looking for ways to improve your local Des Moines business, call the commercial electricians at Electrical Gurus today for expert specialty lighting design that will make your business truly shine!

You know you need some electrical help around the house, but you are not sure who to call. A quick look at the yellow pages will tell you there are no shortage of electricians listed. Your friends and family are also likely to give you their two cents as well. Before you just randomly choose an electrician in Pasadena, there are some things you need to know to look for. Not all electricians are the same. One crew that you are sure to be impressed with is the team at The Electric Connection.

One of the most important factors of choosing an electrician is making sure they are licensed. Hiring an unlicensed contractor leaves you vulnerable and could end up costing you a great deal of money in the long run. You want someone who has the training and the credentials that qualify them to perform work on your house that is done up to code and will meet the county’s standards. Hiring a Pasadena electrician who has not been properly educated puts your home at risk.

Of course, you also want a professional in your home. Someone that isn’t going to make a huge mess and leave it. Don’t hire just any electrician. Pasadena residents can check the validity of the license and check to see if the person or company is insured and bonded. This way, if there is damage or the electrician happens to suffer an injury while working in your home, they are protected and so are you. While it doesn’t hurt to ask friends and neighbors about their experience with an electrician, always verify the credentials before you make a final hiring decision. Give The Electric Connection a call if you need a licensed, professional team of electricians to take care of any work around your home.