Smart Grids and Electric Vehicles

Since the 2010 Networked EV conference, major changes in the electric vehicle landscape have taken place. The Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt have been unveiled, the Obama Administration has promised a transition to electric fleet vehicles, and the San Francisco Bay Area continues on its path to become the ‘Electric Vehicle (EV) Capital of the U.S.’ This year’s conference will bring together players involved in all of these initiatives, as well as those shaping the future of industry.

The Networked EV 2011 will also draw on research by David J. Leeds, who heads the Smart Grid practice at GTM Research. Leeds, who has authored a report by the same name as the conference, has said that this year marks a turning point for electricity as a transportation fuel for passenger vehicles. The conference will focus on themes from his report, including the traditional hot-button issues of transformer build-out, advanced metering, and charging infrastructure, as well as emerging smart grid solutions for the EV market. These solutions include communications standards and protocols that act as the “digital handshake” between the grid and the EV.

“Right now, EV infrastructure investment is centered on electric delivery via the charging stations,” said Leeds. “However, as more public stations and Level 2 home chargers pop up, investment in a new generation of dynamic grid devices will be imperative. Smart grid technologies such as next generation tap changers, voltage regulators, capacitor banks and reclosers, and the communication networks to support these smart devices will bring a new level of grid optimization and control, enabling EVs to safely scale into the tens and hundreds of millions.”

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