Roeth: A new tool identifies high energy demand areas

Whenever the topic of battery electric vehicles comes up, people invariably bring up grid capacity. Often, they do so in a “the sky is falling” way. They immediately go to the worst-case scenario in which the grid will crash because of the overwhelming increase in demand for electricity.

To be sure, as fleets begin deploying more and more battery electric trucks, there will be increased demand on the grid. In fact, the grid’s ability to reliably provide the power required at each site to charge vehicles is a barrier to the adoption of BEVs.

Electric power is localized, so we need a realistic way to determine just how much power will be needed at specific locations. There are about 3,000 different utility companies in the U.S.

In an attempt to address the issue, RMI, one of NACFE’s partners, has developed GridUp, a free and publicly accessible tool designed to help utilities forecast when and where vehicle electrification will lead to increased energy and power demands. It is also a great tool for fleets that are considering locations for electric truck deployments.

According to RMI, the tool can forecast electric vehicle power needs at the census-block group level. The tool provides granular details that should help utilities, cities, and states make informed planning and investment decisions.

See also: Demonstration proves fleet electrification is possible—but there’s still a way to go

As trucking moves toward a green freight future, the current U.S. grid infrastructure will be insufficient to support the additional electrical loads. Those involved in furthering fleet electrification need to know when more power will be needed, where it will be needed, and how much actual power will be required.

The information provided by the GridUp tool will ensure that grid investments are made in the areas where there is an actual need for more power.

In announcing the tool, RMI offered a broad conclusion that areas with high concentrations of medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks are likely to see some of the largest new demand for electricity, but they also offered some specific examples. The neighborhood of Cornell in southeast Atlanta, for example, will see new loads of up to 7 MW because many logistics companies have distribution centers or freight depots there.

Successful fleet electrification is going to require cooperation between a number of entities that include truck makers, fleets, utilities, and charging infrastructure providers. GridUp is a tool that provides a real-world look at future electricity demands and can help everyone make the correct decision on where and when to add grid capacity so that the fleet electrification process is not stalled by lack of power.