Fortis Alberta wants to know how to best fit electricity output with anticipated demand from federal electric vehicle goals
An Alberta energy company is surveying rural customers to better understand how electric vehicles will impact electrical use throughout its network.
Fortis Alberta is seeking up to 600 electric vehicle owners to take part in the survey launching this month in its service area, which runs through much of the province outside most city centres.
Tanya Croft, communications manager for Fortis Alberta, said the company is trying to better understand how growing EV use will impact its systems.
“The smart charging pilot program is going to monitor EV owners’ charging habits, which is data that is essential to us to help us understand that increase in electricity demand,” she said.
“The pilot really allows us to understand how and when EV users charge their EVs and what possibilities exist to manage that increased demand and understand when EV charging is drawing large amounts of power from the grid and provide insight into how to best respond and optimize the existing grid while minimizing the cost to customers.”
The number of EVs in Alberta is predicted to rise to nearly two million by 2041, according to estimates from the Alberta Electric System Operator, up from an estimated 14,000 in 2021.
Current proposed federal government regulations have set the goal of having 20 percent of all passenger cars and trucks sold to be EVs by 2026, 60 percent by 2030 with all vehicles sold in Canada to be electric by 2035.
Croft said the survey is aimed at trying to understand how to best fit electricity output with the anticipated demand of such goals.
“Some of that crosses over with homes and we’re working very closely with homebuilders now, looking at options and what the possibilities are of people installing those certified Level 2 chargers in their home when they are building it,” said Croft.
Level 2 chargers have drastically reduced charging times for vehicles from Level 1 chargers but require more infrastructure at a greater cost.
Croft said Fortis is also working with municipal government partners to ensure the availability of charging stations.
“There is definitely some challenge when it comes to rural Alberta with an understanding that rural commuters like to drive longer distances, requiring larger charging times but this pilot will help us understand that,” said Croft.
AESO’s 2021 Long-Term Outlook report highlights differing charging conditions from winter to summer, weekday to weekend that will draw power from the Alberta grid at various levels depending on time of day, with colder temperatures representing a bigger draw of power.
Those colder temperature days where demand from EVs will be highest will also coincide with demand for heating, according to the report.
Fortis is seeking up to 600 Alberta EV drivers from its customer base for its survey with the initial phase looking at how and when customers charge their vehicles followed by having participants use an app, Optiwatt, to track use to ensure the EV always has power for the drivers’ needs.
A full list of eligible vehicles, financial incentives and commonly asked questions on the pilot program is available by visiting the Fortis Alberta website.
