Enel X, the Enel Group’s advanced energy services business line, announced two EV smart charging programs with Washington state utilities, Puget Sound Energy (PSE) and Seattle City Light, serving the Bellevue and Seattle metro areas respectively, to provide more than 550 Enel X JuiceBox smart chargers to residential customers.
The programs will help boost EV adoption in the state by showing customers the benefits of electric mobility, while gathering insights into EV drivers’ charging behavior to learn how to efficiently scale smart charging programs. Furthermore, the two partnerships will help in meeting the state’s ambitious decarbonization targets of achieving carbon-neutral electricity by 2030 and 100% clean electricity by 2045.
“This year, Washington state passed two key climate policies, which chart a path to 100 percent clean electricity by 2045 and add new incentives for electric vehicles and charging infrastructure to support its decarbonization strategy,” said Preston Roper, Head of Enel X e-Mobility, North America. “As Washington and other states embrace aggressive renewable energy portfolio standards for electric transportation, we expect smart charging to provide dual-benefits to the utility and all of its customers – not just the residents driving EVs.”
With these two new partnerships, Enel X North America has now announced three new utility smart charging programs in the last month alone, broadening its portfolio of partners across the US to more than 20 utilities in its effort to boost the development of electric mobility, which is key to decarbonizing energy systems while also increasing grid flexibility and reliability through Enel X advanced smart charging solutions. Currently, Enel X has sold more than 50,000 JuiceBox smart chargers in North America.
In partnership with Enel X, Puget Sound Energy recently launched the Up & Go Electric home charger program, which provides 500 qualified electric customers who apply online with a PSE-branded JuiceBox smart charging station, powered by JuiceNet software, providing the customers with a cost-effective, grid-connected charging solution and enabling the utility to support broader adoption of EVs and manage peak electricity demands. The JuiceNet platform monitors drivers’ historical charging patterns, acquires real-time input and signals from the electric grid to aggregate and manage charging station demand, allowing EV drivers to contribute by charging at times when electricity costs are lower and renewable energy is most available. The program, which experienced a high volume of interest from customers, has now reached capacity; the offer also covered 75% of installation costs, up to 2,000 US dollars.
“As more of our customers are choosing to drive electric cars, we want to support them with smart charging solutions but also understand the unique impacts of EV charging on the grid,” said Heather Mulligan, PSE manager of Clean Energy Solutions. “The information we learn from Enel X and its JuiceNet platform will inform future programs as PSE seek to support continued growth of electric transportation in our region.”
Seattle City Light will provide up to 70 customers participating in the program with a JuiceBox and support for home installation for a monthly fee. Seattle City Light will use the data collected to analyze EV charging patterns to inform future programs and support continued growth of electric transportation in the region, enabling the identification of cost-effective ways to dually support grid optimization and electrification.
“We have over 4,000 all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles on the road in the City Light service territory, which we expect to grow significantly,” said Emeka Anyanwu, Seattle City Light Energy Innovation and Resources Officer. “We are committed to providing innovative solutions that enable a zero-carbon future and with 90% of our energy coming from carbon-free hydroelectricity, we have the opportunity to empower our customers to help protect our environment for generations to come. This program will provide critical information about at-home EV charging behavior to help us identify opportunities to manage charging to the benefit of our customers and our systems.”
In Washington state, EV adoption is expected to increase more quickly than in other US regions. According to a report from Seattle City Light and the Rocky Mountain Institute published earlier in 2019, EVs on the road in Washington are expected to increase to 140,000, by 2030, from 50,000 in 2019.
