Novel EV charging approach

Re: Hydro eyes EV charging mitigation amid electricity shortfall forecast (Oct. 21)

Electric vehicles do not have to be a problem for Manitoba's energy capacity shortage — they could be part of the solution.

Manitoba Hydro states that we do not have the battery capacity to support renewable energy to meet our energy needs during certain peak hours, and electric vehicles are giant batteries on wheels.

Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) systems take power from electric vehicles and contribute it back to the grid when extra power is needed. The technology exists and is used elsewhere in Canada, and with the right infrastructure and incentives, it could be a powerful tool to increase Manitoba's energy capacity during peak hours.

Vehicle owners with predictable schedules (e.g., commuters, delivery companies, buses) could provide their schedules to Hydro, then whenever they plug into properly configured chargers, the V2G system would pull from their vehicles during peak hours and charge them during off hours, ensuring their vehicles have the necessary charge when needed. Vehicle owners would then be compensated for the energy they contribute, priced based on the demand. Proper incentives could even encourage fleet owners to shift their schedules to ensure the grid can draw from their vehicles during peak hours.

It's not an easy solution, it requires high EV adoption, installing proper charging infrastructure, vehicle owner buy-in, and good software and data. But, EV adoption is increasing, and many EV owners are already paying to get charging systems installed. What Hydro should do now is encourage those EV owners (especially fleet owners) to install V2G-compatible charging systems and start procuring or developing the software necessary to properly use the capacity of those vehicles.