Wake Electric and Union Power Cooperative, in partnership with North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives and WeaveGrid, recently concluded a pilot program which found that new electric vehicle (EV) charging technologies can support the reliability of the electric grid.

The pilot demonstrated the ability to shift energy consumption from EV charging to off-peak times, ultimately saving cooperatives and consumer-members money and increasing reliability.

The EVConnectNC pilot program utilizes EV telematics, which is an innovative method to remotely communicate with vehicles to monitor or manage their charging and collect consumption data without a smart charger or second meter. Currently, there are more than 100,000 EVs in North Carolina, with a state goal of 1.25 million by 2030, according to the Department of Transportation. This pilot program offers valuable insight into driver behavior and EV charging patterns so that utilities can be prepared for mass adoption.

“Pilot projects give us a snapshot of what a program could look like at scale and allow us to see how a technology performs in real-life scenarios,” said Nikki Lynberg, innovation and business development analyst at North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives. “In the case of the EVConnectNC pilot, it’s helping members reach their energy goals in a way that continues to support their driving habits and needs.”

Findings from the pilot program

One key finding from the data collected was the ability to reduce electric demand overnight during potential emergency events, like extreme dips in temperature during winter months. In one test, all vehicle charging was paused for one and a half hours overnight, resulting in a 98.5% reduction in energy demand—a substantial impact.

Additionally, the pilot provided valuable insights into member charging behaviors and how managed charging could fit into their routines. Both Wake Electric and Union Power found that less than 3% of energy consumed occurred during on-peak hours during the pilot and managed charging schedules did not impact drivers’ charging needs. Without managed charging, this number is estimated to be much higher at around 8-15%. By shifting EV charging to off-peak times, members can save money on energy through time-of-use rates, bill credits or other incentives without disrupting their driving habits.

“With this project we were able to successfully partner with our members to navigate and complete the desired outcomes with load management,” said Jake Thomas, manager of marketing and energy services at Union Power Cooperative. “This project provided an opportunity for our members to volunteer their participation and in return they received a monthly credit. Overall, it was a good project, working together to embrace the possibilities with electric vehicles.”

Supporting reliability

EVs provide cooperatives with an opportunity to build a more robust and resilient grid by using energy during less expensive times and flattening peaks in demand.

Understanding charging habits and implementing managed charging now not only benefits members today but also prepares cooperatives for the anticipated growth in EV adoption.

“As member expectations continue to evolve, the information gathered through telematics helped us confirm that Union Power is well-equipped to meet the needs of our members and communities,” said Thomas. “This pilot program allowed us to successfully create real-life scenarios in which load management helped ensure service reliability.”