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The Mobility House and Itron, Inc. have initiated a project in New York State to implement advanced technology designed to speed up the adoption of electric vehicle (EV) fleets. Supported by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the initiative will leverage flexible service connections and smart charging to manage distribution system capacity, preventing common delays in deploying charging infrastructure.
Key Highlights
- A new project by The Mobility House and Itron aims to overcome grid capacity challenges for EV fleet charging.
- The solution integrates Itron’s IntelliFLEX DERMS with The Mobility House’s ChargePilot® charge management system.
- The goal is to reduce or eliminate the need for costly and time-intensive electrical infrastructure upgrades.
- The initiative is supported by NYSERDA and will first be deployed at a school bus site in Staten Island.
A Game-Changer for Fleet Electrification
One of the most significant barriers to fleet electrification is the difficulty and delay associated with upgrading local electrical distribution systems. To address this, the project combines automated load management (ALM) from ChargePilot® with real-time distribution grid data from Itron’s Grid Edge Intelligence portfolio. This integration ensures fleet charging operations remain within the local grid’s capacity limits without compromising vehicle operational needs. This approach is considered critical for removing the interconnection backlog, a major obstacle to widespread EV fleet adoption.
Integrated Solution for Grid Constraints
The flexible service connection technology allows a utility to approve and energize EV charging infrastructure that might otherwise be delayed by distribution capacity constraints. The utility can ensure a fleet’s energy consumption does not exceed a predetermined limit during peak times. Itron’s IntelliFLEX solution receives grid data and signals ChargePilot® to dynamically adjust charging levels as needed. This intelligent local control avoids costly upgrades and increases the potential EV fleet capacity within a service area, helping end-use customers avoid the financial burden of infrastructure build-outs.
Transforming Grid Management in New York
The demonstration project will be implemented in two phases. The first phase involves deploying the integrated technology with five chargers at a school bus facility in Staten Island, in collaboration with New York City School Bus Umbrella Services (NYCSBUS) and utility provider Consolidated Edison (Con Ed). A second phase will see ten additional chargers deployed at another site in New York State. This project is expected to enhance utilities’ ability to manage energy distribution more efficiently, particularly for the growing number of electric school buses.
Key Project Benefits
The integrated technology solution offers several key benefits for utilities and fleet operators:
- Cost Savings: Optimizing power utilization can help avoid or postpone expensive infrastructure upgrades.
- Speed of Deployment: Flexible service connection enables electric utilities to better match the pace of fleet electrification.
- Scalability: The project aims to establish a replicable model that can be adopted by utilities nationwide to optimize charging infrastructure and support cleaner air in affected communities.
About The Mobility House
The Mobility House specializes in smart charging and energy management to advance a zero-emissions future. Its technology integrates EV charging with energy systems to enhance grid stability. The company manages over 2,700 fleet charging facilities across North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region.
More information is available at https://www.mobilityhouse.com/usa_en/.
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