How electric vehicles are becoming a tool for grid stability

A recent series of reports from GTM Research looks at how electric vehicles (EVs) affect the duck curve in California and Hawaii. Grid operators not only have to prepare for an increase in electricity usage in late afternoon, they also need to account for negative pricing and potential over-generation in the late morning and early afternoon – a problem commonly known as the ‘duck curve’. EVs, if managed properly, could offer an answer.

In part one of The Impact of Electric Vehicles on the Grid, GTM Research found that EVs could help with over-generation. EVs could reduce over-generation risks by 0.2% to 0.4% in 2015 and by 1.5% to 1.7% in 2020. Researchers looked at current charging behaviour, matched with the estimated number of EVs in 2020, and then mapped the outcome to the hours of the day that impact the duck curve. During the belly hours, any charging that takes place would be decreasing demand, thus helping to resolve the duck curve issue.

Part two of the research examines how EVs stand to flatten the duck curve on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, using data from a collaboration between the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute and General Electric Energy Consulting. Given Oahu’s mix of renewable resources, without EVs, 10% to 23% of combined solar and wind energy needed to be curtailed. With EVs, there’s a potential to reduce renewable curtailment by 18% to 46%, depending on charging behaviour.

For more information on The Impact of Electric Vehicles on the Grid from GTM Research, see full article.