Grid firms warn of 3GW power demand from electric cars

March 24, 2010

Vehicles like the Nissan LEAF will be sold by the thousands over the next decade, starting in large urban areas

Power companies will need new tools to cope with more than a million plug-in electric vehicles taking to North American roads in the next decade.

That is the conclusion of a new report from the ISO/RTO Council (IRC), a group of US and Canadian grid companies.

Entitled Assessment of Plug-in Electric Vehicle Integration with ISO/RTO Systems, the report suggests that 684,000 electric vehicles will hit the streets in regions of the US served by ISOs and RTOs within ten years.

As motor manufacturers ramp up production of plug-in electric vehicles over the next few years, the report warned that these cars will require 3,785 megawatts of electrical output if charging simultaneously.

The report advises opting for some form of staggered charging system.

Staggering vehicles’ charging times over an eight-hour period would see the increase in electrical demand down to 819MW, or 546MW if charging was staggered over 12 hours.

Clusters

As reflecting the marketing strategies of motor manufacturers like Nissan and Chevrolet, the IRC study suggests that electric car sales will likely cluster around large urban areas on the West Coast and Northeast US.

Los Angeles is predicted to see the largest growth, gaining 119,069 vehicles by 2019.

In this region alone, the report suggests that simultaneous charging would call for an electrical output of 658MW.

Electric vehicles are predicted to be the next big thing in motoring, with expectations that drivers will see cheaper energy costs compared to gasoline. And, as grid electricity becomes steadily greener, electric vehicles offer the opportunity to move towards more environmentally-friendly power supplies.

The IRC report warns that new smart grid technologies will be needed to cope with the extra electricity demand of thousands of new vehicles. New pricing mechanisms will also be needed, the study pointed out.

However, the report adds that bringing new smarter technology to the grid would have extra benefits for electricity reliability generally.

Stephen G Whitley, 2010 IRC chairman and president & CEO of the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), said: “Plug-in electric vehicles represent a significant new set of power users that grid operators must prepare to serve.

“PEVs also might lead to game-changing innovations in energy distribution and smart grid technology that could enhance grid management and electric system reliability,” said Mr Whiteley.

Add your comments

http://www.seattleeva.org/ Steven Lough
I fear that this report and others like it, are trying to “kill the baby before she is born”. Numerous reports from the EPRI and others have long stated that the existing US Power grid could accommodate a rise in Electric Vehicles approaching 70% of the total national light duty fleet, with only one small
caveat… that they stager their charging in Off Peak hours.
If such scrutiny of a yet to mature industry were done to the petrol powered Vehicles at the turn of the last century were undertaken, I doubt that we would have ever developed the modern Infernal Combustion Engine !!
It is our opinion that it will take much more than TWO decades to reach even A 10 percent market penetration of electrification of the US light duty fleet.
Sincerely:
Steven Lough
President: Seattle EV Association
Members: EAA ( http://www.eaaev.org)
http://www.seattleeva.org Steven Lough
I fear that this report and others like it, are trying to “kill the baby before she is born”. Numerous reports from the EPRI and others have long stated that the existing US Power grid could accommodate a rise in Electric Vehicles approaching 70% of the total national light duty fleet, with only one small
caveat… that they stager their charging in Off Peak hours.
If such scrutiny of a yet to mature industry were done to the petrol powered Vehicles at the turn of the last century were undertaken, I doubt that we would have ever developed the modern Infernal Combustion Engine !!
It is our opinion that it will take much more than TWO decades to reach even A 10 percent market penetration of electrification of the US light duty fleet.
Sincerely:
Steven Lough
President: Seattle EV Association
Members: EAA ( http://www.eaaev.org)
Alan Butler
I absolutely agree with Steven Lough. This is a thinly veiled attempt to impede development of electric vehicles by spreading fear and doubt. I am sure it has something to do with posturing for rate increases by the electric utilities. Mr Cartledge’s report certainly is as clever as any in the effort to maintain the status quo and inpede the development of new technologies. Progress, growth, and new and better technologies will occur regardless of the doubters and cynics. Just stay inside and keep looking out the window James I am sure you will be proven wrong. Growth and the natual laws of nature and progess, have certainly rolled over many like you before throughout history.
Alan Butler
I absolutely agree with Steven Lough. This is a thinly veiled attempt to impede development of electric vehicles by spreading fear and doubt. I am sure it has something to do with posturing for rate increases by the electric utilities. Mr Cartledge’s report certainly is as clever as any in the effort to maintain the status quo and inpede the development of new technologies. Progress, growth, and new and better technologies will occur regardless of the doubters and cynics. Just stay inside and keep looking out the window James I am sure you will be proven wrong. Growth and the natual laws of nature and progess, have certainly rolled over many like you before throughout history.
http://brighterenergy.org/ James Cartledge
Many thanks for your comments – I’d just like to say I was not the author of the ISO/RTO report, merely recounting what it was saying. BrighterEnergy.org is not here to impede new technologies – very much the opposite.
http://brighterenergy.org James Cartledge
Many thanks for your comments – I’d just like to say I was not the author of the ISO/RTO report, merely recounting what it was saying. BrighterEnergy.org is not here to impede new technologies – very much the opposite.