1 Getting Started
The Oracle Utilities Opower Load Shifting Cloud Service, Electric Vehicle is part of Opower’s solution for managing daily grid load for utilities. This service provides features that deliver insights to customers that educate them about when to charge their vehicle and motivate them to change their charging patterns accordingly.
The transition to electrified vehicles (EVs) is rapidly increasing, and utilities must figure out how to manage the charging behavior of EV owners. Given the increase of extreme temperatures that strain the grid, intermittent supply-side capacity, and the proliferation of EVs, it's imperative that EVs are not adding to grid load at times when the grid is strained by other high-demand end uses, such as air conditioning, which are considered non-negotiable.
At the same time, EV customers want to maintain their independence and have the ability to charge their cars where and when they please. EV customers are wary of situations where they can't get somewhere important, such as work, the hospital, or starting a road trip, because their car wasn't charged. Additionally, EV customers might want to reduce the cost of charging their car, but only to the extent that it doesn't cause inconvenience, and only if they understand how their rate or charging program works.
Utilities must keep the electric grid reliable and affordable as this transition takes place, while also keeping their customers satisfied. The Load Shifting Cloud Service, Electric Vehicle features can help:
- Reduce grid peaks by reducing EV charging during certain peak times.
- Avoid creating secondary peaks caused by time-of-use (TOU) rate schedules by getting EV drivers to stagger their charging throughout off-peak hours.
- Increase customer satisfaction for EV customers.
- Provide coaching that helps both TOU and non-TOU customers understand their rates and charging programs.
- Customers save money through avoided procurement costs.
The following components are available in this service: