POWER March 2020 - 30

ELECTRIFICATION
Driving Change on the Grid-
The Impact of EV Adoption
Utilities and other power generators need to prepare now for increased loads
as the electrification of transportation grows. As with any challenge, opportunities
exist for those willing to invest in electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and
customer engagement.
Darrell Proctor
T
he global market for electric vehicles
(EVs) is growing. A McKinsey report
from 2019 says worldwide sales of
EVs reached 2.1 million in 2018, with a
growth rate of about 60% year-over-year.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has
said the global EV fleet will reach about
130 million by 2030, a sharp rise from just
more than 5.1 million in 2018.
As EV adoption grows, utilities
and other power generators are grappling
with the issue of determining the
power load needed to charge those vehicles,
and how to forecast when-and
where-that electricity will be needed.
" EV sales continue to increase, but
with EV adoption varying by region, the
challenges to the power grid remain at
the local distribution level, " Harmeet
Singh, chief technology officer of Greenlots,
a California-based EV charging software
and solutions company that is part
of Shell Group, told POWER. " The need
for grid upgrades will vary by region and
depend on the existing grid capacity and
utilization rate of EV growth. "
China accounts for just more than half
of all EV sales worldwide, with EV sales
there at three times the number of both
the U.S. and the European Union. The
Chinese market is expected to wane-
the country this year is reducing subsidies
for EVs-but BloombergNEF said
sales of pure electric and plug-in hybrid
passenger cars in Europe are expected
to grow 35% in the first nine months
of 2020.
The U.S. market is more difficult to
predict, in part due to the continued
battle between California, far and away
the nation's leader in EVs on the road,
and the Trump administration over that
state's stricter requirements for vehicle
emissions and mileage. California also
recently revised the income limits for its
EV rebate program.
The only certainty about the increased
electrification of transportation is that
30
1. Utilities and grid operators know that the time of day vehicles are charged is a key part of understanding
the increased load from electric vehicles (EVs). Industry experts have said utilities
need to be proactive in preparing for the electrification of transportation. Courtesy: Greenlots
power generators need to be prepared,
and grid operators must assess whether
their systems are ready.
" At Greenlots, we're confident that
EVs will prove to be a net benefit to the
power grid, " said Singh. " Utilities will
use EVs to manage demand, integrate
renewable energy sources, and maintain
the stability of the grid. "
EV adoption also could spur needed
infrastructure upgrades. Simon Whitelocke,
president of ITC Michigan, an
electricity transmission company, told
POWER, " There needs to be a new
mindset, bold solutions, and even a
sense of urgency around creating nextgeneration
transmission infrastructure to
keep pace with the growth of EVs and
the other emerging demands of society. "
Location, Charging Times Are Key
Analysts have been studying the impact
of EV adoption on power grids worldwide,
and though there's disagreement
about needed upgrades, there's a consensus
impacts will depend on the region,
and the time of day when vehicles
are charged (Figure 1).
www.powermag.com
" As I see it, the biggest challenges for
the grid with the rise of EVs are around
two major things: volume and timing [of
charging], " Greg Craig, CEO of Griddy, a
wholesale electricity provider in Texas,
told POWER. " By volume, I simply mean
the overall expectations for adoption of
electric vehicles is massive. That amount
of new added demand for electricity will
by itself become a challenge for grids all
around the world, and in particular for
grids that are constrained on transmission
and distribution infrastructure. "
Whitelocke said the current U.S. power
grid needs upgrades to handle the
likely added demand from electrification
in many areas, including transportation.
" Being headquartered in metro Detroit,
ITC has a front-row seat to many of the
changes occurring in the auto industry,
including electrification of vehicles, " he
said. " It's clear that a new era is dawning
for how electricity is created, delivered,
and consumed in our society. Coupled
with the rapid expansion of renewable
energy, the deployment of new distribution
and storage technologies, and
ever-increasing ways Americans are usPOWER
| March 2020

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POWER March 2020

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