Electric vehicles (EVs) have the potential to significantly impact distribution electric cooperatives by increasing electricity demand and affecting the grid's stability. With a continued trend of auto manufacturers moving towards electric vehicles and over 50 individual EV models expected to be available by 2030, the impact for most electric cooperatives is no longer a matter of if, but when? As EV adoption continues in the coming years several concerns are likely to become a challenge for cooperatives:
- What will be the impact to capacity on distribution transformers that are not designed to handle the additional load of level 2 charging?
- Is our grid capable of meeting the demand as more and more consumers switch to EVs?
- How can utilities create rates that reduce the impact of peak demand to support reducing energy costs for all customers?
- Should utilities consider offering public charging in key locations to support customers and specific rural areas that will need charging support?
- Can utilities predict and plan in phases the need to upgrade our grid to meet the growing demand?
In addition to these questions, one of the most concerning challenges is if a distribution electric cooperative can successfully manage demand of every residential EV charging at peak in preparation for a winter storms?
In preparation for the anticipated impact of EVs, BrilliT has developed a data analytics model and several business intelligence dashboards to help identify, analyze, and provide key actionable insights around EV customer readiness. These self-service dashboards provided automated information at the fingertips of employees to help toward solving the previously mentioned challenges:
- DC Fast charging Station Analysis
- Analysis of fast charging station data for utilization and key locations for potential infrastructure partnerships with businesses to support customer charging needs.
- Distribution Transformer Loading Analysis
- Determine the peak and capacity of transformer loading based on summer and winter peak as well as name plate vs. temperature rating, and predicting the impact of level 2 charging applied to the transformer to determine if it can handle the increased load.
- Ability to see reduced impact when charging off peak and provides insights to identify the appropriate rate design to support customers with EVs
- EV adoption Propensity by Zip
- Zip code level analysis of EV adoption forecasting low/mid/high EV adoption down to the circuit level showing the projected number of cars/trucks/SUVs, the kWh impact and the growth rates.
- EV Impact – Meter Lookup
- Easy to use color coded tool for dispatch, contact center, field representatives, and designers to use based on the meter to see if there is a distribution transformer capacity issue where a new level 2 charger is installed or being installed
- Level 2 EV detection by Load
- An analytics engine designed to disaggregate load data based on mild days to remove heating and cooling and an algorithm around EV behavioral spikes in loads. This allows users to identify what meters have EV-like events, the location of the meters, and the charging habits of the events, and offers the ability to track adoption rates as well as identify which demographic could be best supported by an EV Rate.
Utilizing these data analytic tools, clients of BrilliT have been able to transition from reactive to proactive in their approach to the influx of EV adoption on their cooperative service territory and move into a data-informed approach to solving the bigger problems utilities face.
Interested in learning more about these tools and how they can help your cooperative prepare? Contact Eugene Hamrick to get started.
About the Author
With over 10 years in the cooperative industry, Eugene Hamrick brings years of data science, business intelligence, and member insights experience to BrilliT. How knowledge and expertise helps promote data enhanced decision-making and analytic solutions, ensuring cooperatives receive maximum benefits from the use of data.
The BrilliT team is here to help, and we look forward to serving as your data analytics, cybersecurity and IT experts. Reach out to us with questions!
