Published within CAISO Communications.
Futuristic as it sounds, the idea of connecting electric vehicles and charging stations to the power grid is gaining traction statewide. That gave the California Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative (PEVC) a reason to celebrate its 5th birthday during a meeting at the ISO this week.
The PEVC is an organization of 41 stakeholders working together to promote electric vehicles in a multi-faceted approach. At its meeting, PEVC presentations covered topics such as carbon emissions, potential grid benefits and the EV consumer market.
Discussions ranged from funding and promotion opportunities for electric vehicles in lower income and multi-unit dwellings to possible benefits and risks with electric vehicle grid integration. The group also examined the possibility of using vehicles and charging centers as a grid resource.
"We need to think both long-term and short-term at the same time," said Mary Nichols, chair of the California Air Resources Board. "There is an expressed need for flexibility and dependability."
Adopting vehicles that use alternate fuel sources is one step in the plan to reach the state's 2020 and 2050 carbon emissions reduction goals. While California already has tallied 142,000 electric vehicle sales, members and interested parties attending the meeting pointed out the implications and processes of nurturing broader EV acceptance.
This includes creating opportunities for low-income communities and multi-unit dwellings, such as The Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, EV rideshares and the electric vehicle "scrap it" trade-in program. More than 110,000 rebates have been issued in the state.
Peter Klauer, the ISO's smart grid solution manager, explained the potential of connecting electric vehicles to the grid. Similar to demand response technology, vehicles could be called for use during peak times, and energy could be stored in off-peak times. Klauer said if managed effectively, this model could mitigate overgeneration while reshaping daily load.
Meeting participants also outlined some of the successes of EV promotion. A UC San Diego project is currently testing connection of electric vehicles to the university's microgrid, said Michael Gravely, a California Energy Commissioner speaking at the PEVC meeting. In another case, Gravely said more than 500 electric vehicles are being used by the U.S. Navy at a California base.
The PEVC also discussed the challenges of raising public awareness and adoption of electric vehicles.
More information about the California Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative can be found on their website: http://www.pevcollaborative.org/
Futuristic as it sounds, the idea of connecting electric vehicles and charging stations to the power grid is gaining traction statewide. That gave the California Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative (PEVC) a reason to celebrate its 5th birthday during a meeting at the ISO this week.
The PEVC is an organization of 41 stakeholders working together to promote electric vehicles in a multi-faceted approach. At its meeting, PEVC presentations covered topics such as carbon emissions, potential grid benefits and the EV consumer market.
Discussions ranged from funding and promotion opportunities for electric vehicles in lower income and multi-unit dwellings to possible benefits and risks with electric vehicle grid integration. The group also examined the possibility of using vehicles and charging centers as a grid resource.
"We need to think both long-term and short-term at the same time," said Mary Nichols, chair of the California Air Resources Board. "There is an expressed need for flexibility and dependability."
Adopting vehicles that use alternate fuel sources is one step in the plan to reach the state's 2020 and 2050 carbon emissions reduction goals. While California already has tallied 142,000 electric vehicle sales, members and interested parties attending the meeting pointed out the implications and processes of nurturing broader EV acceptance.
This includes creating opportunities for low-income communities and multi-unit dwellings, such as The Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, EV rideshares and the electric vehicle "scrap it" trade-in program. More than 110,000 rebates have been issued in the state.
Peter Klauer, the ISO's smart grid solution manager, explained the potential of connecting electric vehicles to the grid. Similar to demand response technology, vehicles could be called for use during peak times, and energy could be stored in off-peak times. Klauer said if managed effectively, this model could mitigate overgeneration while reshaping daily load.
Meeting participants also outlined some of the successes of EV promotion. A UC San Diego project is currently testing connection of electric vehicles to the university's microgrid, said Michael Gravely, a California Energy Commissioner speaking at the PEVC meeting. In another case, Gravely said more than 500 electric vehicles are being used by the U.S. Navy at a California base.
The PEVC also discussed the challenges of raising public awareness and adoption of electric vehicles.
More information about the California Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative can be found on their website: http://www.pevcollaborative.org/