East Bay Community Energy announces innovative EV charging partnership

East Bay Community Energy announces innovative EV charging partnership

By Carmela Guaglianone in San Francisco Examiner

Source

2030 is an important year for both East Bay Community Energy (EBCE) and Kaluza, an innovative energy software program, a pair that joined forces October 4 to launch a landmark Vehicle-Grid Integration (VGI) program centered in smart charging.

By that year, EBCE, a nonprofit clean energy provider based in Oakland and serving the East Bay, intends to provide 100% carbon-free electricity to its customers across the 11 cities it serves. Kaluza is committed to reaching carbon neutrality. And both think that by 2030, the technology they’re showcasing could save the United States $15 billion a year, “without sacrificing the convenience, comfort and wallets of drivers who decide to go green,” the companies stated in a press release.

The “smart charging” that Kaluza’s platform manages combines artificial intelligence with machine learning to control the times that electric vehicles import energy.

In heat waves that recently swept the state, the fragility of California’s grid was scorchingly apparent. Drivers of electric vehicles, and other electric utility users, were asked to voluntarily avoid charging at specific times, when the grid was struggling to sustain demand.

Kaluza’s program, accessible to the consumer through an app, would monitor the grid for these strains and respond accordingly and automatically, while also taking into account user input that advises the system when you need your car— so when you show up, it’s set to go. The intent is to “relieve system pressure by automatically shifting charging away from peak times.” The program’s vision is to reduce grid pressure, energy costs, and carbon emissions.

According to the companies’ press release, the program will serve 1000 Californians first, saving the average EV user $550 a year and reducing their charging-related carbon emissions by 36%.