The next decade or so of automotive technology is poised to make a long-lasting impact that will be felt for generations. New communications capabilities and autonomous features will make cars smarter, more efficient and more self sufficient, leading to a world where cars carry more of the driving burden than humans.
One of the latest technological efforts is being directed at developing communications between electric cars and the power grid toward smarter, more efficient energy management. Spearheaded by the Electric Power Research Institute, the collaboration includes eight of the world’s leading auto manufacturers and 15 power utilities.
In April of this year, German non-profit ZSW released a report identifying some 400,000 plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) on the world’s roads. While that number is a tiny fraction of the more than 1 billion total vehicles worldwide, it is double the number of PEVs from 2012, which was double the number of 2011. If the trend continues, there will be more than 1 million plug-ins on the road by early 2016.
Plug-in vehicles are usually viewed as a positive for energy supplies, cutting reliance on dirty, imported oil in favor of electricity, which can be produced cleanly and domestically. However, the ever-growing fleet of PEVs threatens to create a ballooning power demand that places strains on the distribution system.
A 2012 report from the Deloitte Center for Energy Solutions found that utilities were more than prepared to handle a million US PEVs by 2015, from a generation and distribution standpoint. However, it also suggested that dense populations of vehicles could put stress on local infrastructure.
“To better prepare for EV electric demand, utilities are seeking notification of EV purchases in their service territories, studying the impact of EV charging on local distribution systems, performing targeted local distribution equipment upgrades, and exploring ways to influence customer charging behavior by incentivizing off-peak charging,” the report read.
The joint EPRI research announced last week looks to develop an open platform to increase that type of customer communication and cooperation. The consumer-friendly software package would find its way into plug-in vehicle telematics systems and smartphone apps, enabling the vehicles, smart grid and drivers to communicate with each other.
The platform would make the grid aware of a plug-in vehicle’s presence and would allow the utility to seamlessly communicate with its owner. For instance, if the local power demand were spiking, the utility could send out a smartphone message requesting that the owner disconnect his or her plug-in vehicle. The owner could quickly stop charging at the push of a smartphone button or choose to ignore the request. A second “all systems go” message would be sent when electricity demand lowered.
“As electric vehicles become more prevalent in the marketplace, it will present some unique challenges and opportunities for utilities who manage the flow of the electric grid,” said Dan Bowermaster, EPRI manager of electric transportation. “The focus of this collaboration is to create a standard program that will allow utilities to work with different types of plug-in vehicles to more efficiently manage their demand on the grid.”
Once readied, the software could be offered to plug-in electric vehicle owners on an opt-in basis and could include financial incentives from the utility. The 15 participating utilities include Duke Energy, Southern Company, Northeast Utilities, Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, Manitoba Hydro, Austin Energy, Con Edison and CPS Energy.
“This collaboration will make it easier for electric vehicle drivers to save money by enabling the utility to schedule charging for times during the day when demand for electricity is relatively low,” said Cliff Fietzek, manager of BMW Connected eMobility Group. BMW is one of the automakers participating, along with Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi and Toyota.
In addition to easing stress on the grid and offering PEV drivers lower rates, the platform would match charging PEVs with electricity sourced from renewable energy whenever possible, making the electric-powered vehicle just a little cleaner.
Such a platform would also pave the way for another interesting improvement not specifically detailed within the announcement. If equipped with two-way energy transmission capabilities, a connected car could not only stop charging during peak periods, it could put electricity back into the grid. The car owner could sell energy back into the grid during peak times, then buy it at a lower price during off-peak hours, assuming he didn’t need a full charge right away.
Automakers like Honda and Nissan have already been working on two-way vehicle charging systems that can push energy into the grid or home when demand is high. Nissan, which is conspicuously absent from the new EPRI research initiative, showed a smart home concept in 2011, integrating the Nissan Leaf into the home’s power supply. It says that the 24-kWh lithium-ion Leaf battery could power the average Japanese home for about two days. The Leaf could serve as an emergency generator or an off-grid power source during peak hours of the day.
The two dozen parties working on the EPRI platform started their work close to two years ago. They plan to move forward with developing and testing the new platform. The focus is on the United States, but the platform will meet standards for global applicability.
