#ELECTRIC GRIDS DRIVERS#

That means energy production could climb at a similar rate and still meet even the most aggressive increase in electric vehicles, with proper planning. Department of Energy found that there has been almost no increase in electricity demand nationwide over the past 10 years, while capacity has grown an average of 12 gigawatts per year (1 GW can power more than half a million homes). If we put our minds to it and plan for it, then we should be able to do it.”Ī November report sponsored by the U.S. “But it’s going to unfold over a period of the next 20 years. “We’re certainly mindful that if those projections are right, then there will need to be more supply,” said Michael Stoddard, the program’s executive director. States can spend as much as 15 percent of their payout to subsidize construction of public charging stations for electric cars.Įfficiency Maine, a state trust that oversees energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction programs, offers rebates for the purchase of electric vehicles, part of state efforts to incentivize growth. Stateline Story JanuBillions From VW Settlement Boost Push to Clean Vehicles Wyoming, for instance, would need to nudge up its electricity production only 17%, while Maine would have to produce 55% more. A team of researchers from the University of Texas at Austin estimated the amount of electricity that would be required if every car on the road transitioned to electric. Responding to the growth in electric vehicles will present unique challenges for each state. The state projects that electric vehicles will consume 5.4% of the state’s electricity, or 17,000 gigawatt-hours, by 2030. In California, for example, the worry is not so much with the state’s overall power capacity, but rather with the ability to quickly ramp up production when demand is high, said Sandy Louey, media relations manager for the California Energy Commission, in an email. About 150,000 electric vehicles were sold in California in 2018 - 8% of all state car sales. If many people buy electric vehicles and mostly try to charge right when they get home from work - as many currently do - the system could get overloaded or force utilities to deliver more electricity than they’re currently capable of producing.

#ELECTRIC GRIDS DRIVERS#

But whether electric vehicles will become an asset or a liability to the grid largely depends on when drivers charge their cars.Įlectricity demand fluctuates throughout the day demand is higher during daytime hours, peaking in the early evening. So far, states predict they will be able to sufficiently boost power production. The environmental benefit of electric cars depends on the electricity being generated by renewables. Department of Energy study found that increased electrification across all sectors of the economy could boost national consumption by as much as 38% by 2050, in large part because of electric vehicles. The average electric vehicle requires 30 kilowatt-hours to travel 100 miles - the same amount of electricity an average American home uses each day to run appliances, computers, lights and heating and air conditioning.Ī U.S. But as Washington and other states urge their residents to buy electric vehicles - a crucial component of efforts to reduce carbon emissions - they also need to make sure the electric grid can handle it. 3 in the nation in per-capita adoption of plug-in cars, behind California and Hawaii.

Seattle aims to have nearly a third of its residents driving electric vehicles by 2030.

It also was creating a way for the utility to figure out how much more power it might need as electric vehicles catch on. Using its high-capacity modelling facilities, Artelia performs power grid studies and supervises the construction of all types of installation (HV and MV power lines, transformer substations, remote management equipment, insulated overhead earth wires for rural distribution systems, etc.).SEATTLE - When Seattle City Light unveiled five new electric vehicle charging stations last month in an industrial neighborhood south of downtown, the electric utility wasn’t just offering a new spot for drivers to fuel up. Artelia is capitalising on its knowledge of the electricity sector to help several governments draw up least-cost development plans, taking account of their needs over the next 20 to 30 years and defining the resources required to meet them while optimising security and preserving the environment.Īrtelia works with electricity producers, governments and multinational authorities on major distribution grid interconnection and rural electrification projects. For an operator or ministry responsible for energy issues, any planning and modernisation work must begin with an accurate assessment of available resources and demand forecasts.

Electric grids