Rendering © SOM
Researchers from ORNL worked with industrial partners to manufacture and connect a natural-gas-powered hybrid electric vehicle with a solar-powered building to create an integrated energy system. The car and house both were built using large-scale 3D printers. Power can flow in either direction between the vehicle and building through a lab-developed wireless technology, researchers said. The researchers hope their integrated approach to energy generation, storage and consumption will introduce solutions for the modern electric grid, which faces challenges ranging from extreme weather events to how best to incorporate growing renewable energy use.