In 2023, FortisAlberta is preparing for an increased demand of Electric Vehicles (EVs) on the road by asking an important question – how will an upswing in EVs impact the province's electricity distribution grid? To help answer this question, FortisAlberta is inviting EV owners across Alberta to participate in its Electric Vehicle Smart Charging Pilot. The program monitors EV owners' charging habits – data that is essential to understanding and managing increased electricity demands. The pilot project is the first of its kind in rural Alberta, as approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission.
In support of the federal government's target that all new light-duty cars and passenger trucks be one-hundred per cent zero emission by 2035 – with mandatory interim targets in 2026 and 2030 – we expect to see an increasing number of Albertans driving EVs. The latest numbers indicated there are approximately 5,600 EVs registered in Alberta.
As the electricity distributor to more than 240 Alberta communities, this pilot affirms FortisAlberta's commitment to a resilient grid and to long-term, prudent investment into Alberta's distribution infrastructure.
Participants of the pilot will receive incentives to take part. Charging data will be implemented and analyzed over the course of 2023 to understand the impacts of charging on system demand, including how managed charging can limit cost and optimize the grid.
"The data gathered will help us understand vehicle charging requirements of our customers," says Curtis Eck, Vice President of Engineering. "It will also demonstrate the opportunity for active managed charging to mitigate grid impacts, reduce carbon impacts, and save customers money; costs that directly impact the transmission and distribution fees on Albertan's utility bills".
FortisAlberta, in collaboration with EV smart charging app developer, Optiwatt, is looking for up to 600 customers who drive an EV and live within FortisAlberta's service area to participate in the study. Participants can enrol by downloading the free Optiwatt app from the Google Play and Apple App stores.
