Fielding five converted Toyota Priuses and a Ford Escape, and deploying electric vehicle management technology from GridPoint, BGE will investigate when and where drivers will charge their vehicles, what effect charging may have on BGE’s peak load periods, and how that load can be managed to provide cost-efficient energy to customers. BGE will also evaluate the impact a PHEV fleet has on the company’s carbon footprint.
"We recognize many Maryland consumers are looking forward to buying plug-in vehicles and we want to ensure we’re ready to meet their need for smart charging options," said John J. Murach, director of business planning and corporate performance for BGE. "GridPoint’s proven smart charging software allows us to understand the impact charging vehicles will have on our grid and provides the tools we need to seamlessly support wide-scale adoption of electric transportation."
Vehicle Connectivity Modules (VCMs) will be installed in each vehicle to establish two-way communication with the grid and log critical performance data. GridPoint’s smart charging software can be used to manage the flow of electricity to charging vehicles, successfully balancing driver needs and real-time grid conditions. During peak periods, the flow of energy can be delayed or slowed to shift the charging load off-peak – minimizing localized grid stress and ensuring service reliability. When wind or solar power is available, the charging rate can be increased to expand the use of renewable energy in the grid.
"We applaud BGE for proactively planning for the availability of plug-in vehicles and look forward to collaborating with them on this smart grid initiative," said Michael J. Carlson, Executive Vice President, GridPoint. "The application of our smart charging solution for vehicle and charging infrastructure provides the advanced visibility and management required to ensure the successful, wide-scale adoption of plug-in vehicles. We are excited to partner with BGE in deploying it to their customers."
BGE, www.bge.com, headquartered in Baltimore, is Maryland’s largest gas and electric utility, delivering power to more than 1.2 million electric customers and more than 640,000 natural gas customers in Central Maryland. The company’s approximately 3,000 employees are committed to the safe and reliable delivery of gas and electricity, as well as enhanced energy management, conservation, environmental stewardship and community assistance. BGE is a wholly owned subsidiary of Constellation Energy, www.constellation.com, a FORTUNE 500 company also headquartered in Baltimore, with subsidiaries that generate, sell and provide other energy-related services to customers throughout North America.
GridPoint, Inc., an established leader in smart grid software and services, enables energy producers and consumers to manage the transformation to a smart grid. The company’s software applications integrate, aggregate and manage distributed sources of load, storage and generation. Utilities use GridPoint’s solutions to efficiently balance supply and demand, improve grid reliability and empower consumers with user-friendly software to manage energy consumption.
Enterprise customers use GridPoint’s intelligent energy management and revenue-grade sub-metering systems to increase their facilities’ efficiency. GridPoint’s innovative portal connects residential and enterprise customers to the smart grid – providing them with energy information and engaging them in a variety of utility programs, including demand response, solar, storage, sub-metering or even smart chargingprograms for plug-in vehicles. With GridPoint’s interoperable platform, utility and enterprise customers realize the benefits of energy intelligence. The result is a practical path to developing a clean, efficient 21st century grid.
