As many as one million plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) may be on US roadways within the decade. Of that, a new study projects nearly 70 percent will be located in regions served by the ISOs and RTOs. What are the technical hurdles and tools needed to foster the potential benefits of widespread use of PEVs? The ISO/RTO Council (IRC) report examines.

KEMA, in partnership with Taratec Corporation, assisted the ISO / RTO Council (IRC) in assessing the integration of PEVs with ISO / RTO systems. The resulting report, “Assessment of Plug-in Electric Vehicle Integration with ISO/RTO Systems,” key findings include:

• Staggered charging of PEVs would reduce the potential negative impact on electric load.
• Car batteries could be used for energy storage if PEVs are widely adopted.
• Power companies will need new tools to manage growth in PEV use.

As detailed in the March 23, 2010 IRC press release, the PEVs plugging into the grid in US ISO/RTO regions could add electric load of 3,785 megawatts (MW) if every PEV charged simultaneously. In contrast, electric load would increase by about one-fifth that total (819 MW) if charging were staggered over an 8-hour period and less than 546 MW over a 12-hour period. The IRC study suggests that initial PEV sales are likely to cluster on the West Coast and Northeast and be heavily concentrated in large urban areas.  

The IRC study promotes adoption of smart grid technologies and new pricing mechanisms in an effort to accommodate PEV demands for electricity, avoid potential service disruptions, and minimize wholesale electricity price impacts. The IRC study also examines the feasibility of deploying various smart grid tools and services that would allow grid operators to use PEV technology as an innovative energy storage and distribution resource to balance local energy needs.

A copy of the full report is available at the IRC website.

For more information on KEMA’s work in identifying opportunities and implications for electric vehicle (EV) grid technology and integration, visit:  http://www.kema.com/services/consulting/utility-future/electric-vehicles/Default.aspx