PowerStream, Nissan Show Electric Vehicle Powering a Home

BARRIE, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - June 1, 2012) -

Editor's note: There are two photos associated with this press release.

PowerStream and Nissan Canada at the Georgian College Auto Show today demonstrated, for the first time in Canada, the latest innovation in electric vehicle technology, a system where a fully or partially charged battery in an electric vehicle (EV) can provide power to a home.

Referred to as 'vehicle-to-home" (V2H) and developed by the Nissan Motor Company, the technology can help Ontario homeowners on time-of-use (TOU) rates, who own a Nissan LEAF™ "100% electric, zero gas, zero tailpipe" vehicle, to better manage their electricity costs through load shifting as well as provide a back up power source for their homes for up to four hours during an outage.

The demonstration, which continues through the weekend in the PowerStream booth at the auto show, involves the use of a Nissan LEAF™ plugged into a power control system (PCS) that enables the car's battery to power lights, appliances and other devices in the home. An automatic transfer switch (ATS) allows for the home's electricity supply source to be switched from the power grid to the battery in the EV through the PCS.

PowerStream and Nissan believe this system will allow households to be supplied with a stable amount of electricity throughout the day and reduce any potential burdens on the current power supply by charging and storing electricity in Nissan LEAF™ with electricity generated at night or through sustainable methods such as solar power, and using it during high demand periods.

For example, electricity customers in Ontario on TOU rates using the V2H power supply technology can load shift by charging the batteries in their Nissan LEAF™ from the power grid during off-peak pricing periods and then supply the stored electricity back to the home during on-peak pricing periods.

The output from the Nissan LEAF™ can provide enough power to operate high electricity-consuming appliances in the home, such as an air conditioner, stove, refrigerator, washing machine and dryer, at the same time for approximately a full day.

"As a global leader in the development and sale of electric vehicles, we know it is crucial to partner with companies like PowerStream to expand the use of this technology and to open doors to more consumers," said Allen Childs, President of Nissan Canada. "The public debut of V2H in Canada today will drive new advancements and collaboration in the auto industry of tomorrow. V2H will foster literal connections, such as those between vehicles, infrastructure, the Internet, and the nation's electrical grid, and the connections and relationships between engineers who are developing the next generation vehicle technology."

Frank Scarpitti, PowerStream's Board Chair and Mayor of the Town of Markham, applauded the introduction of the V2H technology, explaining how consumers can benefit.

"This is the second time in short order that PowerStream and Nissan have partnered to showcase a new environmental technology to Canadians," Mayor Scarpitti said in reference to PowerStream being the first Canadian company to take delivery of two Nissan LEAF™ vehicles in July 2011. "Today is PowerStream's eighth anniversary; what better way to celebrate than launching another groundbreaking initiative - one that helps residential electricity customers benefit from TOU cost management and security of home power and transit through clean-technology."

PowerStream added the Nissan LEAFs™ to its fleet for use in conjunction with the company's electric vehicle smart charging station pilot program. By using the Nissan LEAF™ with smart charging technology, PowerStream has been identifying the most cost effective means to control the electrical loading of its distribution system assets resulting from the increased use of electric vehicles.

PowerStream and Nissan are companies who practice and promote sustainability as a means of protecting the environment. The Nissan LEAF™ was named the 2011 World Car of the Year while PowerStream has been recognized by several organizations, including the Ministry of the Environment, as being one of Ontario's environmental leaders. The two companies continue to find more sustainable ways of conducting business while delivering environmentally-friendly products and services to their respective customers.

About PowerStream Inc.

PowerStream Inc. is the second largest municipally-owned electricity distribution company in Ontario, providing service to approximately 340,000 customers residing or owning a business in communities located immediately north of Toronto and in Central Ontario. The communities served include Alliston, Aurora, Barrie, Beeton, Bradford West Gwillimbury, Markham, Penetanguishene, Richmond Hill, Thornton, Tottenham and Vaughan. PowerStream is jointly owned by the City of Barrie, the City of Vaughan and the Town of Markham.

About Nissan Canada Inc.

Nissan Canada Inc.(NCI) is the Canadian sales, marketing and distribution subsidiary of the world's fourth largest auto making group, Nissan Motor Limited, one of the most globalized of all automakers, doing business in 187 countries, and manufacturing vehicles at more than 20 factories in North and Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. With offices in Vancouver (BC), Mississauga (ON), and Kirkland (QC), NCI directly employs 250 full-time staff. There are 175 independent Nissan dealerships and 29 Infiniti retailers across Canada.

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