Enel X’s eMotorWerks has successfully deployed a 30 megawatt / 70 megawatt-hour virtual energy storage battery load comprised of distributed electric vehicle charging loads on the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) markets.
The new offering bundles together the electricity demand of thousands of plug-in vehicle drivers and pays drivers for the ability to throttle charging speeds up and down in response to signals from utilities. In exchange, owners earn credits on eMotorWerks’ JuiceNet platform.
Bundling together the charging demand of EV drivers and using it to offset periods of high demand on the grid operates much like a grid scale battery does, with the capacity to offset spikes in usage on the grid with reduced usage.
That’s where the virtual energy storage battery names comes in and represents a new way of adding storage capacity to the grid without the need for any new capital spending.
No batteries, no installations, no wiring, no connection fees or construction permits.
The system simply takes existing assets that owners have already purchased and uses the software and connectivity that they come with to create value for utilities and to generate revenue for plug-in vehicle drivers.
Having direct communications back to each of eMotorWerks’ 6,000 participating California chargers allows JuiceNet to dynamically adjust charging loads to balance grid demand in realtime.
That capability can and is being used in California to help keep the cost of electricity down while absorbing some of the spikes caused by intermittent renewable generation.
eMotorWerks is pushing other utilities around the country to sign on to its forward-looking demand response program in the hopes of offering additional zero-capital virtual energy storage battery capability in their service areas.
Reference- Cleantechnica, eMotorWerks website