Ford Motor electric vehicle (EV) owners and lessees in Southern California Edison’s (SCE) service area now can be compensated for assisting the electric grid during peak energy demand periods.
Ford is the first major U.S. automaker to facilitate customer participation in SCE’s Emergency Load Reduction Program (ELRP), one of the utility’s ongoing efforts to enhance grid resilience while advancing vehicle grid integration (VGI).
Ford’s support of the ELRP through Olivine, which administers distributed energy resources, demonstrates the growing importance of coordinated actions by the automotive industry and utility companies to support grid resiliency. Ford is offering EV customers participation in ELRP through its California Power Response program.
California Power Response will take advantage of Ford’s managed charging solution and is expected to provide a valuable source of load reduction in times of peak demand. EV drivers in Ford’s California Power Response program will earn $1 per kWh of energy reduced during peak grid events, creating financial incentives never before possible with gas-powered vehicles.
“The future of the two-way grid is now. The electric industry has been preparing infrastructure and systems to take advantage of vehicle-to-grid integration, and a lot of hard work on all sides is now making that a reality,” said Steve Powell, president and CEO of SCE. “Ford’s support of the ELRP will show how EVs can make the grid more resilient. The ELRP incentivizes EV drivers to send power from their car battery to the grid when it is needed most.”
Ford and SCE are working with Olivine as the formal participant in the VGI component of the ELRP. Olivine’s role is pivotal to managing the seamless integration of EV charging into the ELRP, allowing for real-time adjustments and optimized charging strategies that align with grid needs.
As VGI technologies mature, SCE will continue prioritizing customer needs through ongoing collaboration with vehicle manufacturers, charging station providers and VGI aggregators. For more information on SCE’s Emergency Load Reduction Program and how businesses and residents can participate, please visit elrp.sce.com.
Eligible Ford EV drivers can apply for the California Power Response program here.
Filed Under: Technology News