Proactively upgrading the grid to accommodate medium- and heavy-duty vehicles can yield millions in savings for customers of two major U.S utilities
Though the electrification of trucks and buses is expected to make up only a small share of overall national energy consumption, it could require new or upgraded grid infrastructure locally. This has posed a chicken or egg dilemma for state energy regulators and utilities: build the infrastructure they anticipate will be needed or wait until the demand is imminent, as they have done traditionally. To address this issue, the report set out to answer the questions, “Does making grid investments in anticipation of electric truck loads end up costing less than reactive investments?” and “What is the risk of overestimating future loads, versus underestimating them?”
The report models grid buildout scenarios using data provided by CenterPoint Energy Houston and Con Edison, and concluded that utilities and their ratepayers may tend to save money where the utility invests proactively – even in scenarios where the adoption of EVs is slow.