Dive Brief:
An electric vehicle (EV) charging pilot Pacific Gas & Electric and BMW managed in Northern California helped drivers use an additional 1,200 kWh of renewable energy annually, provided other grid benefits and cut greenhouse gas emissions, according to data from the program.
The utility and car manufacturer announced in March they are expanding the ChargeForward pilot to accept about 3,000 customers. The program provides financial incentives in exchange for participants shifting vehicle charging loads to times when there is ample renewable power on the grid.
"We're really trying to figure out what vehicles can do for the grid," Charles Post, PG&E's energy storage program manager, said Tuesday during the Verge Electrify webinar. "Can they be backup power? Can they provide resiliency? We're hoping to explore than in the not-too-distant future."