Innovation & Technology Innovation & Technology

Nissan Harnesses Power of Electricity to Improve Access to Energy, Mobility, Disaster Relief

The renewable and electric vehicle markets may be growing at an unprecedented rate, but approximately 1.3 billion people around the world still live in communities where power generation is restricted and access to electricity is virtually non-existent.

By Sustainable Brands | Published 7 years ago | About a 2 minute read

Auto giant Nissan is gearing up to change that, announcing three new sustainability pilot projects at the Nissan Futures event in Oslo, Norway. The projects will focus on improving access to energy and mobility and will be targeted towards communities identified as being most at risk or in need.

“With a rapidly rising, urbanising global population, problems like access to energy, climate change, and poor air quality all risk getting worse rather than better,” said Gareth Dunsmore, Electric Vehicle Director at Nissan Europe. “We’ve been asking ourselves: How can we use our global reach and history of innovation, to help build a brighter, electric future for everyone. What better place to start than by bringing power and mobility to people in a sustainable and equitable way?”

The first project will see the construction of a micro-grid system that will provide a power source for local communities in a developing country lacking sustainable access to energy, thereby providing residents with better access to education and healthcare.

Nissan will also work with local municipalities in Europe to apply the principles of the Nissan Electric Ecosystem to those who most need it. This includes equipping a residential building with a solar power system, Nissan xStorage, vehicle-to-grid technology and new Nissan LEAFs for car-sharing.

The third pilot will see the automaker partner with organizations in areas at high risk of being affected by natural disasters to uncover ways Nissan people and technologies can provide disaster relief. For example, a Nissan e-NV200 van equipped with battery packs could be used as a mobile, sustainable backup energy source in the event of a major power cut, energy disruption or off-grid event.