Vehicle to grid

NERC warns of bulk EV charging’s grid impact

NERC warns of bulk EV charging’s grid impact
(Imag courtesy 123rf)

By Yusuf Latief, Smart Energy International

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) has cautioned against the impacts of electric vehicle (EV) charging on bulk power system reliability, calling for cross-sector coordination to bolster and ensure the reliability of the power grid.

In NERC’s Potential Bulk Power System Impact of Electric Vehicle Chargers white paper, the Corporation calls for greater cross-sector collaboration due to significant load growth, projected by the Energy Information Agency (EIA) to 2050, estimating that EV sales will grow to add millions of vehicles each year.

The paper states that as EVs become more numerous, their charging characteristics, such as where and how they charge, will have an increasing effect on the grid.

Ensuring BPS reliability

Grid-friendly charging

The paper states that EV chargers can negatively impact bulk power system (BPS) reliability depending on the way they draw current from the BPS.

To avoid reliability issues, EV and charging system manufacturers must increase their collaboration with electric utilities and establish performance criteria and standards regarding grid-friendly EV charging methods.

Without greater collaboration, they add, policymakers may need to act.

Grid characteristics

Reliability implications, states the NERC, vary depending on the characteristics of the grid in specific locations and the number of EVs present.

As a result, performance criteria are likely to vary based on location.

Transmission planners will need to modify their planning criteria to indicate the types of charger performance criteria that are grid-friendly for their planning area.

Different parts of North America will likely have different criteria for this and it may be possible to address these criteria with EV charging software updates.

Knowledge gaps

Finally, the white paper states that knowledge gaps about EV charging behaviors create uncertainty in planning and understanding of the electrical impact that these devices may have on the BPS as well as associated policymaking.

Vehicle manufacturers, the electric industry, and policymakers must increase collaboration to close knowledge gaps and address reliability concerns and benefits.

Historically, states the NERC in a release, the transportation sector has largely remained independent of the electricity sector, but this is changing quickly as EV charging depends on the safe, reliable, resilient, secure, and affordable delivery of electricity.

Additionally, this increase in demand has the potential to significantly change the load profile of the North American BPS.

“As the rapid electrification of the fleet continues, increased cross-sector awareness, collaboration, innovation, and information sharing will be essential to closing these knowledge gaps, meeting future demand, and ensuring grid reliability, resilience, and security,” said Soo Jin Kim, NERC’s vice president of Engineering and Standards.

Originally published in Smart Energy International.

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