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Featured eMotorWerks bought

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by bwilson4web, Oct 26, 2017.

  1. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Source: Green Car Congress: Enel acquires eMotorWerks to provide grid balancing solutions and tap into US e-mobility market

    Enel S.p.A., through its US subsidiary EnerNOC, has acquired California-based eMotorWerks, a North American supplier of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, called JuiceBox, and owner and operator of JuiceNet, an Internet of Things (IoT) platform for the smart management of EV charging and other distributed energy storage facilities.

    Through the JuiceNet platform, these facilities can be remotely controlled and aggregated for grid balancing purposes relying on unidirectional and bidirectional (vehicle-to-grid, V2G) electricity flows. The acquisition of eMotorWerks marks Enel’s entrance into the US electric mobility market.

    Electric vehicles have the potential to be one of the most disruptive technologies the modern electricity grid has faced in the last one hundred years. The electric mobility revolution is leading utilities, grid operators, and consumers to rethink traditional business models, invest in new infrastructure, and roll out new solutions to provide flexibility and resiliency to the grid. Our mission is to be on the cutting edge of this paradigm shift, where consumers can play a more active role in energy generation and use. This acquisition enriches our e-mobility offering and integrates a highly sophisticated smart EV charging solution within our portfolio of grid flexibility services, which includes the world’s largest demand response network, distributed energy management systems and battery storage solutions.

    —Francesco Venturini, Head of Enel’s Global e-Solutions division​

    I have two JuiceBoxes and this doesn't bode well.

    Another source: Enel Acquires eMotorWerks, Deepens Presence In US Market

    Too much 'green shade.'

    Bob Wilson
     
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  2. DavidA

    DavidA Prius owner since July 2009

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    Bob, why are you worried? The EVSE's should continue to work, shouldn't they?

    For the record, I also use their basic 40 model, without the internet connection.
     
  3. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    The guy who created eMotorWerks (in Cali-bay area) was even selling a 25K CHAdeMO home brew-type setups. I don't see it on the website any more. He must have gotten paid a nice sum to let go of all his projects.
    .
     
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  4. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    It looked to me as if he started out as the "Heathkit" of EVSE. It became popular and he transitioned to building completed kits. The project moved forward and the previous versions were not UL approved. The latest version is UL approved and then they got bought out.

    During my working career, I've too often seen 'outside' management come in and run off the innovators and inventors whose work led to the original corporate success. The 'newbie' management comes in with no history in the technology and 'slogan' leadership. What little I've seen about this Italian company fits that profile. The only thing worse would be purchase by a venture capitalist firm because they usually load the new company with substantial debt that kills all R&D.

    Bob Wilson
     
    #4 bwilson4web, Oct 28, 2017
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2017
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  5. ny_rob

    ny_rob Senior Member

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    Bummer, I built two Juicebox EVSE's... good solid units.
    As soon as they stopped selling kits, I was done with them.

    If you need parts for a Juicebox, the relay is off the shelf as is the power supply- both can be found on ebay. Only the controller is custom made, but you can replace it with a generic one from OpenEV for $79...
    OpenEV Store - Products
     
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  6. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Or he wasn't paying licensing fees for it.
     
  7. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    In today's news, Chargemaster UK has been bought by British Petroleum to allay fears of fuel oil profit falls in near future...

    I saw this on the BBC and thought you should see it:

    BP buys UK's largest car charging firm Chargemaster - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44640647
     
  8. RobH

    RobH Senior Member

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    The "Greenwash" sounds more like compliance with future regulations in California. New solar panel installations must use an inverter that meets Rule 21. Rule 21 allows the electric utility to adjust the amount of power being output by a customer power generation facility. The older design inverters just disconnect from the grid when there is a hiccup. Reconnection is allowed after the power quality meets standard for at least 5 minutes. The old rules were adequate when solar installations were rare. Now that they are becoming a significant contribution to the grid, it's disruptive to have them kicking out based on minor glitches. The old rules required an inverter to drop off the grid when grid frequency dropped too much. The new rules allow the grid to command the inverters to stay ON.

    Rule 21 addresses generation facilities. Future regulations will probably address large loads such as EV chargers. Equipment vendors really want to be in on the design requirements for future products. A number of smaller inverter vendors have been shut out of the California market because their products don't meet the latest grid interactive requirements.