EnergyHub, a provider of grid-edge flexibility solutions, and The Brattle Group announced the results of a study that used real-world electric vehicle (EV) data from an EnergyHub program in Washington State to quantify the grid reliability and cost savings benefits of active managed charging.
As EV adoption continues, utilities are tasked with managing increased strain on an aging grid.
The Brattle Group’s analysis of EnergyHub’s active managed charging solution shows that advanced optimization of EV charging can help utilities meet this challenge effectively by reducing local grid stress and minimizing wholesale market costs, while continuing to ensure customer charging needs are met.
The report, Demonstrating the Full Value of Managed EV Charging, compared two active management strategies tested in a real-world trial against unmanaged charging and passive time of use (TOU) rates, finding that active managed charging:
- Reduces EV charging peaks by up to 50%: Active management smooths EV load at the service transformer and feeder levels, reducing distribution grid congestion.
- Significantly increases distribution system hosting capacity: Managed charging can allow the distribution network to support ~2x more EVs before requiring upgrades.
- Defers primary and secondary distribution system upgrades by up to 10 years: Utilities can substantially delay costly investments while maintaining service quality.
- Delivers 95% of charging during off-peak periods: Active managed charging can handle complex time-of-use rate schedules for customers, reducing charging bills.
- Saves up to $400 per EV annually: Active strategies deliver substantial system cost savings in most geographies and could be even higher in more constrained locations.
- Ensures charging needs are met: 100% of EVs that remained plugged in with sufficient time to charge reached their desired target state of charge, while individual customers overrode charging commands in an average of 2.3 sessions per month under active management strategies.
The study also found that just one or two EVs can trigger distribution service transformer overloads under unmanaged charging or passive TOU rates, while active management can allow the same transformers to support up to five EVs.
Active and passive management can shift charging out of the electric grid’s peak demand periods. However, active management mitigates the TOU snapback effect and reduces aggregate peak charging loads. (Image: The Brattle Group)
EnergyHub’s active managed charging solution enables utilities to optimize EV load for multiple objectives while prioritizing driver experience. Its Distribution Load Optimization technology delivers multi-level optimization across distribution grid infrastructure — from the substation to the service transformer — helping utilities solve for distribution limits, wholesale costs, and customer rates.
As more EVs take to the road, The Brattle Group’s findings highlight the urgency for regulators and utilities to move from a policy of reactive infrastructure upgrades to proactive planning that incorporates grid-edge solutions. Active managed charging provides a scalable pathway to maintain affordability and reliability.
Filed Under: Charging, Technology News