Customers’ electricity needs are changing, and ENMAX Power is investing in tools and technology that can enable new cost-effective power delivery solutions. Electric Vehicle (EV) adoption is increasing rapidly, and EV charging (mostly done at home) will increase electricity demand for utilities across Canada.
This is why ENMAX Power developed Charge Up, a suite of EV Charging Pilot Projects in 2019. Phase two of Charge Up Alberta’s first EV Smart Charging pilot project, happened throughout 2022 and, involved over 160 EV drivers in Calgary segmented into groups that received different incentive treatments.
Up until this time, while smart charging was widely used, there was little data available that would allow ENMAX Power to assess how effective it might be in Calgary, or which incentives work best to influence what time of day EV drivers charge their vehicles. ENMAX Power partnered with researchers from the University of Calgary and the University of Alberta to analyze the data. This allowed ENMAX Power to compare the effectiveness of different financial and non-financial incentives to shift EV charging load away from the early evening hours when grid demand is already highest.
Preliminary results based on the pilot suggest small financial incentives may shift up to 70 per cent of EV charging off-peak, but users will require continued incentives to maintain that behaviour. The average daily commute for EV drivers is only 59 kilometers, suggesting low-demand Level 1 charging can meet many drivers’ daily needs.
These insights will enable ENMAX Power to develop EV home charging solutions that optimize its existing grid assets and benefit all Calgarians – not only those who choose to electrify.
