eMotorWerks Continues To Lead the Way With Demand Response

Since being acquired by Enel X, eMotorWerks has been busy forging utility partnerships for smart charging programs with its flagship product, the JuiceBox. Today, eMotorWerks, and Platte River Power Authority, a not-for-profit wholesale electricity generation and transmission provider in Colorado, announced a new smart home EV charging initiative for the first 250 EV drivers to sign up for the study.

Jason Frisbie, general manager and CEO of Platte River said, “Smart EV charging aligns well with Platte River’s core pillars of providing reliable, environmentally responsible and financially sustainable electricity and services to our owner communities. As our renewable portfolio continues to expand, a better understanding of EV owner consumption patterns will provide valuable insight and allow consumers to participate in our energy future.”

Last December, Platte River announced its 2030 goal of producing 100% clean energy, and this smart charging initiative will explore flexible charging services in support of Platte River’s broader energy diversification goals in the electricity and transportation sectors.

The Colorado Public Utilities Commission recently released this report, which essentially states as more EVs are adopted, smart charging technology can save all electricity users money - not just EV drivers. It highlights economic benefits from M.J. Bradley that a mass market for EVs could provide cumulative benefits of $43 billion to the State of Colorado including:

Reduced electric bills resulting from improved utilization of the grid and associated incremental revenue, estimated to be $4.1B

Reduced expenditures on transportation fuel and vehicle maintenance, estimated to be $29.1B

The societal value of emissions reductions of both GHG and criteria pollutants, estimated to be $9.7B

Smart EV charging will play a significant role in the proliferation of electric vehicles and this Colorado program is of notable importance. Adding an electric vehicle to your household is comparable to adding 2 or 3 homes to the grid, which could ultimately make electricity less reliable and/or more expensive for everyone in that electric service territory if not managed “smartly.”

With today's announcement, eMotorWerks is expanding its demand response programs to Colorado. The program is open to electric vehicle drivers in Estes Park, Fort Collins, Loveland and Longmont in northern Colorado. This program will study electric vehicle charging patterns in an effort to better develop future smart charging services at scale.

Participants in the study will receive a $200 instant rebate upon purchase of the JuiceBox smart charging station from Platte River, and the first 100 participants will receive an additional discount directly from eMotorWerks. There's an initial target of 250 participating EVs, with eMotorWerks and Platte River deploying a demand response-enabled system in the service territory. The aim is to simultaneously reduce electricity costs and boost renewables penetration.

Preston Roper, General Manager, North America, e-Mobility, Enel X “As demand for renewable energy grows significantly to power EVs, valuing and procuring EV flexibility services in the form of smart charging is critically important within the process of decarbonizing the electricity and transportation sectors economically,” said Preston Roper, General Manager, North America, Enel X e-Mobility. “We are looking forward to helping more Colorado communities go electric with the state’s first smart EV charging program.”

Using Smart Chargers to Balance the Grid

Back in August, eMotorWerks announced a partnership with Xcel Energy. For that program, eMotorWerks provided Xcel with JuiceBox chargers and the JuiceNet software services. Similar to Platte River, the goal for this smart EV charging program is for JuiceBox chargers to help balance the grid and improve network reliability during times of peak electricity demand. That 100-participant pilot was also designed to also better prepare Xcel's regional grids for the expected increased electric demand created by EV charging.

A few months later eMotorWerks announced the deployment of a "30MW Virtual Battery" for California energy markets. This program utilized over 10,000 JuiceBox EV chargers and controlled them through the company’s cloud-connected JuiceNet software. EV drivers enrolled in the program earn rewards, and currently can earn up to $80 a year for their participation. eMotorWerks believes that the amount earned for participating in these programs can be much higher in the future.

Then, in December, eMotorWerks partnered with

LO3 Energy

for a series of microgrid and EVs projects, with the joint goal of exploring high-value use cases for local energy markets. The goal was to test grid balancing use cases that combine demand from charging electric vehicles with the local supply of affordable, renewable energy.

Today's Press Release:

San Carlos, CA — February 26, 2019 — eMotorWerks, a subsidiary of the Enel Group’s new advanced energy services business line Enel X, announced it will be supporting Platte River Power Authority (Platte River), a not-for-profit wholesale electricity generation and transmission provider in Colorado, with the electricity provider’s first electric vehicle (EV) distributed charging study by supplying its smartcharging equipment and technology. The study will explore flexible charging services in support of Platte River’s broader energy diversification goals in the electricity and transportation sectors.

Platte River’s study will be the first large-scale residential smart EV charging initiative in Colorado, serving communities in the municipalities of Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland. Participating EV drivers can schedule preferred charging periods taking into consideration the most cost-effective times of use and monitor charging remotely via eMotorwerks’ JuiceNet app. Powered by JuiceNet, the leading smart EV charging software platform, eMotorWerks’ JuiceBox charging station will be available for purchase via Platte River’s EfficiencyWorks store with a $200 instant rebate provided by Platte River, and the first 100 JuiceBox participants will receive an additional instant manufacturer discount. With JuiceNet, users may program EV charging times, which can benefit utility customers on time-of-day rates and can also save drivers and their utility money and precious electricity resources by delaying charging to non-peak times of use.

With an initial target of 250 participating EVs, eMotorWerks and Platte River are deploying a demand response-enabled system in the service territory, which could reduce electricity costs and boost renewable penetration. As an industry leader in networked EV supply equipment (EVSE) and vehicle-grid integration, eMotorWerks has proven smart charging capabilities at scale in California and beyond via JuiceNet, which collectively acts as a virtual battery for the grid. JuiceNet can delay or reduce charging schedules across that portfolio of EV charging, based on signals from utilities or grid operators, while prioritizing individual driver mobility requirements and preferences, as well as compensating drivers for their flexibility.

Currently, eMotorWerks is the only EV charging provider to participate in wholesale day-ahead and real-time markets, dynamically managing charging loads to balance grid demand, reduce wholesale energy procurement costs and mitigate the intermittency of renewables. By delivering smart EV charging services to electricity grids, environmental and social benefits arising from sustainable mobility can be achieved and magnified as EV adoption grows. Furthermore, smart charging enables drivers to conveniently charge during non-peak periods, if available from the local electric utility. According to a recent report from the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, smart EV charging can exert downward pressure on electricity rates over time by achieving higher and more even utilization of existing grids, avoiding costly investments in new grid infrastructure. More efficient use of power infrastructure can enable greater savings for all relevant parties involved — from EV drivers to utilities.

About eMotorWerks:

eMotorWerks, a subsidiary of the Enel Group’s new advanced energy services business line Enel X, is revolutionizing the EV charging market with its JuiceNet-enabled smart charging solutions. With more than 40,000 charging stations sold around the world, eMotorWerks is the only EVSE participating in wholesale energy markets. Unlike other charging station providers, eMotorWerks’ JuiceNet platform allows customers to control and manage their EVs’ charging schedule, electricity costs and renewable energy mix. By offering EV drivers, utilities, automakers and businesses a complete line of interoperable, hardware agnostic, smart-grid charging solutions, eMotorWerks is enabling the EV industry to scale sustainably. For more information on eMotorWerks, please visit www.emotorwerks.com, and follow us on Twitter (@eMotorWerks), LinkedIn and Facebook.

About Platte River Power Authority:

Platte River Power Authority is a not-for-profit wholesale electricity generation and transmission provider that delivers safe, reliable, environmentally responsible and financially sustainable energy and services to its owner communities of Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland, Colorado for delivery to their utility customers. Platte River is governed by an eight-person board that includes the mayor of each owner community and an appointee from each of the four owner communities. More information can be found at https://www.prpa.org/.