The ability to flexibly manage EV charging can provide a new kind of distributed resource at the grid edge. A forthcoming eLab report highlights the opportunity to realize many benefits to the grid by actively managing electric vehicle charging.
If utilities anticipate the load of charging EVs and plan for it proactively, they can avoid new investment in grid infrastructure, optimize existing grid assets and extend their useful life, reduce electricity and transportation costs, enable greater integration of renewables, reduce emissions, and supply ancillary services such as demand response and voltage regulation. But if utilities respond to to the opportunity late and reactively, it could shorten the life of grid assets, require greater investment in peak capacity, make the grid less efficient, increase the unit costs of electricity for all consumers, inhibit the integration of renewables, increase emissions, and make the grid less stable.
Developed in conjunction with the Regulatory Assistance Project and San Diego Gas and Electric, the study identifies best practices that regulators, utilities, elected officials, vehicle manufacturers, and other stakeholders can use to integrate the growing number of electric vehicles into the existing grid.
This webinar is a preview of the report, due to be released in June 2016. We invite you to join RMI Manager Chris Nelder and Managing Director James Newcomb for a sneak preview of this important issue.
The conversation will be most relevant to utility executives and planners, regulators and their staff, as well as investors, EV infrastructure developers and OEMs, and those with some technical knowledge of the electricity system.
The slides are available for download here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9im…