Innovation giant IBM has created a new environmental unit introduced by CEO Samuel Palmisano in November 2008. The new business unit idea was one of 10 new projects to emerge from an unprecedented online brainstorming initiative among IBM employees and third-party clients. The Big Green Innovation project is now gaining momentum. In April 2009, IBM aligned with the Nature Conservancy of Arlington, Virginia (USA) by way of the Great Rivers Partnership.

IBM will create software designed to link the ideas and expertise of varied professional communities and governmental authorities to evaluate the environmental affects of virtually any commercial or industrial enterprise. This tool will help head-off environmental disasters previously only discovered through trial-and-error.

Meanwhile, IBM executive Spike Narayan witnessed an eye-opening sight. The Tesla Motor Company was demonstrating its new electric sports car at the IBM research center at Almaden (San Francisco), California (USA). The Tesla rocketed from 0-100 kph (0-60 mph) in four seconds! Narayan compared the Tesla to a Porsche without the gasoline engine.

It became clear to IBM that battery research would be the future of electric automobile development and the retention of the necessary consumer confidence. In mid-2009, IBM held the Future of Batteries Conference at the Almaden Center. Scientists met for two days to create a plan of battery research and development. All experts agreed that electrical storage methods must keep up with vehicle development. If consumers invest in electric vehicles and those vehicles don’t perform as expected, consumer confidence could be stalled.

The ultimate focus for IBM and its partners is the Lithium-Air battery design. Early research indicates the potential for Lithium-Air batteries to store up to ten (10) times the energy stored in Lithium-Ion cells. IBM plans to spend $10 million (US) over the next three (3) years to refine the Lithium-Air battery. Executives and researchers are confident that the timing for this program is right. Tesla Motor Company, which only builds one model of electric vehicle, was recently granted a $465 million (US) loan by the US Department of Energy to begin the design of a family sedan based upon its very impressive sports model.

Some skeptics don’t believe consumers are ready to make the switch from old-fashioned fossil fuels due to uncertainty in regard to the reliability of electric vehicles; particularly the batteries. Another obstacle confronting the emerging electric vehicle industry is the projected consumer cost for these vehicles. Initially, very few consumers will have the ability to purchase the new-generation electric vehicles, however history tells us that although these shifts take time, they do indeed happen. Necessity is the mother of change.