DENVER, Colorado (August 29, 2019) – Xcel Energy—Colorado wants to add infrastructure to help communities and customers achieve their goals to increase electric vehicle (EV) use.
If approved by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), a filing made today lays the groundwork for Xcel Energy’s larger Transportation Electrification Plan to be filed next year, by working with early-moving communities and customers. The company is working with communities such as Denver and Lone Tree to determine the communities’ goals to electrify fleets and pinpoint locations for charging. Xcel Energy has also been working with the Regional Transportation District (RTD), discussing EV supply infrastructure, RTD’s recently-received grant for additional electric busses and the company’s proposed commercial EV rate, which is currently before Commission.
“The cost of and access to charging infrastructure are critical barriers to Colorado’s EV aspirations and we look forward to helping our customers and communities increase their electric vehicle use,” said Alice Jackson, president for Xcel Energy--Colorado. “Electrification of transportation is an important consideration in achieving our company vision to be carbon free by 2050.”
Accelerating the timeline for these projects enables Xcel Energy and RTD to work together to implement infrastructure improvements for RTD's next fleet of 17 battery electric buses, which RTD is purchasing through grant assistance from CDOT's VW Settlement program and FTA's Low or No Emission Vehicle grant program.
“RTD is excited that Xcel Energy is supporting our agency's efforts to deploy electric buses by covering some of the upfront costs of infrastructure improvements,” RTD General Manager and CEO Dave Genova said. “This type of support from Xcel Energy will make electric buses more financially feasible and may allow RTD to continue expanding our zero-emission bus fleet.”
Xcel Energy—Colorado also recently unveiled an EV smart charging pilot, called “Charging Perks,” that will use onboard communications systems on electric vehicles to help owners decide when and how to charge their cars while saving on energy bills and using more zero-carbon electricity.
Xcel Energy is proposing to partner with several automakers to reach EV owners through connected car systems. Each participating automaker will work with Xcel Energy and our customers to schedule overnight charging to meet customer driving needs, while charging the vehicle at the best times for the power grid.
The Charging Perks pilot proposes to offer EV owners a $100 sign-up incentive, plus a $50 to $100 bill credit at the end of the study’s first year, depending on what kind of home charging station they use. By using technology already inside EVs, Xcel Energy will better understand when, where and how drivers charge their electric vehicles and how to make charging easy for the customer and beneficial for the grid.
“Smart charging is a significant opportunity and an important role for Xcel Energy as we ensure EV charging benefits all of us that use the grid,” said Jackson. “Very few energy companies nationwide have tested this approach with automakers. We believe the Charging Perks pilot will show us how smart charging can keep costs low while we integrate more renewable energy as part of Xcel Energy’s zero-carbon strategy.”
The Charging Perks pilot proposes an initial test group of 600 electric vehicles. Testing the smart charging technology with a small group of customers and automakers will help Xcel Energy design programs that make charging easier and more affordable for all EV customers in the future.
“Smart charging” refers to the management of EV charging to promote more efficient resource use of the grid, while ensuring the owner’s driving needs are met. By mapping customer patterns of use, Xcel Energy can determine best practices for managing EVs alongside its increasingly carbon-free power generation fleet.
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About Xcel Energy
Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices. For more information, visit xcelenergy.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.