CUB Conference Preview: EV Peak Load and Flexibility
Posted on August 18, 2017 by Mike Goetz
Tags, Conference & Events
The seventh annual CUB Policy Conference, Utility Regulation 2.0: Empowering What’s Possible, is quickly approaching. As part of our ongoing series featuring the conference’s breakout panels, today’s update discusses panel topic #5: Benefit Or Burden: EV Peak Load And Flexibility.
In an increasingly electrified and carbon constrained world, we are beginning to see more and more electric vehicles (EVs) populate our roadways. The transportation industry has surpassed the electricity industry as the world’s largest carbon emitter, and progressive policy has turned to the streets to curb transportation’s greenhouse gas problem. A large driver in this transition will be continued transportation electrification.
No matter what type of vehicle a consumer considers purchasing and driving, it will require fuel to get it from point A to point B. With EVs, that fuel is electricity, supplied by the public utilities. To keep pace with the transitions in the transportation sector, the Oregon Legislature directed PGE, PacifiCorp, and Idaho Power to file transportation electrification program applications by the end of 2017. While CUB has participated in evaluating those program applications through various processes before the Oregon Public Utility Commission throughout the better part of 2017, larger issues remain around the impacts a large number of EVs will have on the electric grid.
EVs have the potential to either benefit or harm the electric system. Tremendous benefits can be realized by off-peak charging, which can exert downward pressure on rates and enable better integration of variable generating resources, among a host of additional benefits. However, on-peak charging can add great costs to the system, forcing utilities to spin reserves or purchase power on the market. Additional quick onset load can cause transformers to fail at a local level. The means through which EVs affect a utility’s system is largely up to policy and how the utilities plan to meet oncoming load.
The “Benefit or Burden: EV Peak Load and Flexibility” panel at this year’s CUB Conference will touch on these issues, and many more, from a diverse array of parties. Participating in the panel are Max Baumhefner, Attorney, Clean Vehicles and Fuels, Energy & Transportation at NRDC; Ingrid Fish, Policy & Research Analyst at the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability; Brendan McCarthy, State Environmental Policy Manager at PGE; Lucy McKenzie, Senior Consultant at E3; and Jeanette Shaw, Director of Government Relations at Forth. With representatives from environmental groups, utilities, consulting organizations, and EV advocates, we anticipate a spirited and informative discussion.
Register today for the CUB Conference – early bird pricing is still available until September 29. CUB is also still accepting sponsorships for this year’s event; contact Pamela White at (503)227-1984 x10, or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) for more information. Stay tuned for more breakout panel previews and other updates!
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08/18/17 | 0 Comments | CUB Conference Preview: EV Peak Load and Flexibility