AI pilot to support EV electricity demand in Ottawa
by CM Staff
EV Everywhere will use AI to create an online service for EV owners that will pool the storage and charging capabilities of EV batteries to smooth out demand peaks.
OTTAWA — The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) and the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) have announced plans to support a new pilot project by BluWave-ai and Hydro Ottawa that will use AI to manage EV charging during peak demand periods.
The IESO’s Grid Innovation Fund has contributed $2.4 million to the project, and the OEB’s Innovation Sandbox will provide regulatory support to the project. Other project proponents and their partners will invest an additional $2.4 million.
The IESO forecasts that electricity demand from the electrification of transportation, which includes EVs, will increase 20 per cent annually. Increased EV adoption introduces challenges for utilities who distribute the energy needed to charge them.
Mass transition to EVs implies challenges for utilities who distribute the energy needed to charge these vehicles.
This pilot, called EV Everywhere will use AI to create an online service for EV owners that will pool the storage and charging capabilities of EV batteries to smooth out demand peaks and take advantage of lower cost energy at off-peak.
The IESO and OEB have decided to support BluWave-ai, Hydro Ottawa, Moment Energy and Area X.O in an effort to help meet growing demand for EVs and related infrastructure in Ottawa.
“Innovative technologies, like AI, are unlocking the potential for consumers to exert greater control over how they use electricity,” said Lesley Gallinger, president and CEO of the IESO in a statement.
“By continuing to fund local projects through our Grid Innovation Fund, we are finding new ways to harness the potential of local supply and change the way we think about our electricity grid.”
