Using Grid Enhancing Technologies to Electrify Transportation
With the winds of change come growing pains, and the clean energy transition is no exception.
Driven by several factors, including new federal incentives, fuel economy standards, and state goals, more than one-third of new vehicles sold by 2030 are expected to be electric vehicles (EVs).
This electrification of our transportation sector holds enormous potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions responsible for climate change. Transportation emissions account for nearly one-third of manmade greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, so weaning our cars off of fossil fuels is considered a crucial step toward decarbonizing our economy by mid-century.
But the coming wave of EVs – and the power needed to charge them – also represents new pressure on already-strained electric grids. It’s no secret that the U.S. needs to expand our capacity to transmit the growing supplies of clean energy that are coming online. The U.S. Department of Energy has projected that we need to double or triple the capacity of the existing transmission system over the next decade or two, and charging EVs will only add to the demand.
Modeling EV growth demonstrates the strain this demand will place on the electric grid. For example, the Rocky Mountain Institute has shown that by 2035 electrifying heavy-duty trucks will consume the same amount of electricity each year as the states of Massachusetts, Nevada, and New Jersey combined.
Fortunately, with careful planning by utilities, state regulators, and EV charging companies, we can ensure that the electric grid is ready and able to enable transportation electrification.
In a new white paper, LineVision Vice President of Policy and External Affairs, Hilary Pearson, details a roadmap for incorporating Grid Enhancing Technologies (GETs) – such as Dynamic Line Ratings (DLR) – into planning to ensure the electric grid can handle the vast power demands associated with EVs.
GETs provide a fast and cost-effective solution to increase transmission capacity to support EV charging infrastructure. And unlike new transmission lines that can take 5 to 10 years to permit and build, GETs can be deployed in as little as three months while boosting transmission capacity by as much as 40%.
“At LineVision, we’re proud to offer solutions to the challenges of the energy transition,” Pearson said. “And we’re constantly evaluating pathways to ensure our solutions are deployed to enhance grid flexibility, resilience, and security.”
Check out our recent blog post to learn more about Dynamic Line Ratings and the potential to boost grid capacity.
