Artificial Intelligence Pilot Supports EV Electricity Demand in Ottawa

Research and Pilots

Artificial Intelligence Pilot Supports EV Electricity Demand in Ottawa

July 15, 2022 | Video

Forecasts show that electricity demand from the electrification of transportation will increase 20 per cent annually, introducing challenges for utilities who distribute the energy needed to charge them.

The IESO’s Grid Innovation Fund and Ontario Energy Board’s (OEB) Innovation Sandbox are looking ahead to see how local utilities will be able to manage this challenge. The two organizations will be supporting a new pilot project in Ottawa that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to manage EV charging during peak demand periods, saving customers money while extending the life of electricity infrastructure.

Through $2.4 million in funding from the IESO’s Grid Innovation Fund, as well as regulatory support from the OEB’s Innovation Sandbox, the project will contribute to technical advances that will help realize the potential of these solutions. Project proponents and their partners are investing an additional $2.4 million.

To meet this growing demand in Ottawa, the IESO and the OEB are supporting BluWave-ai, Hydro Ottawa, Moment Energy and Area X.O operated by Invest Ottawa. This pilot, called EV Everywhere will use AI to create an online service for EV owners that will pool the storage and charging capabilities of EV batteries to smooth out demand peaks and take advantage of lower cost energy at off-peak. The automated system will also gauge customer interest and impacts.

Innovative technologies, like AI, are unlocking the potential for consumers to exert greater control over how they use electricity. By continuing to fund local projects through our Grid Innovation Fund, we are finding new ways to harness the potential of local supply and change the way we think about our electricity grid.

Lesley Gallinger, President and CEO of the IESO

IESO President and CEO Lesley Gallinger announcing EV Everywhere’s project funding for the EV at a media event at Hydro Ottawa’s headquarters on April 14, 2022. In the back from left to right is Devashish Paul, CEO and Founder of BluWave-ai, Gurmesh Sidhu Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Moment Energy, and Bryce Conrad President and CEO of Hydro Ottawa.

This pilot will test an AI software platform that supports utilities in the visibility of and support for the growing numbers of EVs drawing electricity from the local grid. With input from customers, optimized charging times and strategic placement of battery storage, the platform aims to reduce the strain on the local grid, as well as allow EVs to provide services to the broader provincial electricity market.

"With our company's goal to have net-zero operations by 2030, and as we continue to support our city's growing energy needs, and our customers' transition to a greener future, it’s important for Hydro Ottawa to take part in province-wide initiatives, and projects like BluWave-ai's EV Everywhere," says Bryce Conrad, President and CEO of Hydro Ottawa. "These projects not only provide the groundwork for new, innovative technologies, but also help safeguard our electricity grid from the challenges ahead as part of this transition."

Since its inception in 2005, the IESO's Grid Innovation Fund has supported more than 260 projects, taking innovative ideas from the sector that can enhance reliability, sustainability and resiliency of the provincial electricity system. A third-party analysis of 27 past innovation projects showed that if those technologies were adopted more widely across the province, they could reduce system and customer costs by half a billion dollars.

For more information, see the news release.

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