Bright officials say smart grid technology could even allow consumers to take excess electricity generated by the Idea and sell it back to the grid. Protogere said the possibilities of such an exchange are being explored at Duke’s Envision Center in Cincinnati.

“The reason we are involved with Bright Automotive and others is because after World War II, when air conditioning came to be, it had a huge impact on the amount of power that people consume and it had a big impact on utilities,” Protogere said. “We believe that plug-in electric hybrids can have the same impact and we want to be on the front end of that.”

Contact Justin Schneider: (765) 640-4809, justin.schneider@heraldbulletin.com

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Green for green business

Anderson-based Bright Automotive has applied for federal funding from three sources to help bring its plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle, the Idea, to market:

n $18 million grant through the Electric Drive Vehicle Battery and Component Manufacturing Initiative, overseen by the Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory

n $17 million grant (as a partner in the Energy Systems Network) through the Transportation Electrification Program, also overseen by the Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory

n $450 million in loans through the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program, overseen by the Department of Energy

— Bright Automotive