OTTAWA—Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) and the Ontario Energy Board have announced they are supporting a new pilot project by BluWave-ai and Hydro Ottawa that will use AI to manage EV charging during peak demand periods.
The program is intended to cut customers’ energy bills and extend the life of electricity infrastructure, stated a recent release.
The IESO’s Grid Innovation Fund will contribute $2.4 million to the project and project proponents and their partners are investing an additional $2.4 million.
The IESO forecasts electricity demand from the electrification of transportation, which includes EVs, will increase 20 per cent annually, introducing new challenges for utilities, the statement explained.
Other partners in the pilot project include Moment Energy, Area X.O and Invest Ottawa. The 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,” stated Lesley Gallinger, president and CEO of the IESO in the statement. “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.”
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