Infrastructure Pilot Programs
PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E are currently implementing
pilot programs to install infrastructure to support electric vehicle charging
at multi-unit dwellings, workplaces, and public interest destinations. Each utility
convenes a program advisory council comprised of representatives from state
agencies, ratepayer advocates, environmental justice groups, technology
providers, automakers, and others to provide feedback and guidance on pilot
design and implementation. The three utility pilots will install the
infrastructure to support up to 12,500 charging stations with total budgets up
to $197 million. This table summarizes key pilot information.
Proposed IOU Infrastructure programs
The CPUC is currently considering several charging
infrastructure programs proposed by the state’s investor-owned utilities as required
under Senate Bill 350 as described here.
CPUC/NRG Settlement
In 2012, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved an agreement between NRG Energy and the CPUC to settle outstanding legal issues regarding the 2000 California energy crisis. The settlement requires NRG to invest $102.5 million in electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the state at no cost to site hosts. NRG is obligated to install public fast-charging stations, make electrical upgrades to support electric vehicle charging at existing building facilities ("make-ready infrastructure"), fund technological research and development programs related to electric vehicle charging strategies, and support electric vehicle access programs for under-served communities.
NRG is
required to submit quarterly reports on its progress in fulfilling provisions of
the settlement agreement and provide a list of its public charging stations and make-ready installations. EVgo, which was a subsidiary of NRG, is currently implementing the settlement requirements on behalf of NRG. The sixth year of the settlement's implementation began on December 6, 2017.
The settlement calls for NRG to finance two third-party audits of its compliance with the settlement agreement. The first tracks NRG's progress midway through settlement implementation, and provides a third-party opinion on NRG's compliance with the settlement conditions and provisions as of the settlement's midpoint. The mid-term review audit is available here.
More details on the settlement, including NRG's quarterly and annual reports, are available here.
Infrastructure Pilot Programs at Schools and State Parks and Beaches
AB 1082 and AB 1083
(Burke, 2017) authorize the investor-owned utilities to propose pilot
programs to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure at school
facilities and/or state parks and beaches, respectively. The Assigned
Commissioner, Carla Peterman, issued a guidance ruling
to the IOUs in January 2018 regarding what should be included in their
applications if they choose to propose pilots under AB 1082 and AB 1083.
In July 2018, four utilities, PG&E, SCE, SDG&E and Liberty Utilities, filed applications under AB 1082 and 1083 requesting a combined $56.4 million for pilot programs at school facilities and state parks and beaches:
CPUC staff hosted a public workshop on December 6, 2018 for PG&E, SCE, SDG&E, and Liberty
Utilities to provide an overview of their AB 1082 & AB 1083 applications.
CPUC Energy Division Discussion DocumentPresentation
PG&E: (A.18-07-020) Application and Testimony
PG&E expects to spend $5.76 million over 5 years to install 88-132 L2 EV charging ports across
22 school campuses in Alameda, Fresno, and San Joaquin counties for use by
school employees, school fleets, and visitors. At least thirty-five percent of
the participating schools will be located in disadvantaged communities, and no
more than ten percent of the program participants will be higher education
facilities The utility will also partner with the selected schools to organize
a marketing, education, and outreach (ME&O) campaign that seeks to increase
EV adoption, improve charging awareness and educate current and future drivers
of the benefits to EV ownership.
PG&E also proposes to spend $5.54 million over 5 years to install at least 40 level 2 (L2) ports and 3 direct current fast
chargers (DCFC) EV chargers across 15 state parks and beaches for use by
visitors, employees, and parks fleets. The utility will also partner with the
selected parks to organize a marketing, education, and outreach (ME&O)
campaign that seeks to improve EV ownership and charging awareness and educate potential
EV owners of the ability of EVs to reach isolated parks with the hope of
reducing “range-anxiety.”
SCE: (A.18-07-022) Application and Testimony
SCE expects to spend $9.89 million over 2 years to install and
support up to 250 charging ports at 40 K-12 schools in its service territory. The
schools pilot also proposes to perform a comprehensive marketing, education, and
outreach (ME&O) campaign through on-campus events and presentations to
explain the benefits of EV ownership the next generation of drivers.
SCE also proposes to spend $9.88 million over 2 years to install make-ready
infrastructure at 27 state parks and beaches to support up to 120 level 2 (L2)
charging ports and 10 direct current fast chargers (DCFC). SCE is also
proposing to support15 mobile EV charging ports. The parks pilot also proposes to
perform a comprehensive marketing, education, and outreach (ME&O) campaign
through multi-media outlets and in park presentations to explain the benefits
of EV ownership to drivers who enjoy outdoor activities, state park users,
advocates, and employees.
SDG&E: (A.18-07-023) Application and Testimony
SDG&E is proposing to spend $9.9 million over 2 years to
install 184 level 2 (L2) and 12 direct
current fast chargers (DCFC) across 30 school facilities and educational
institutions, 25% of which will be in Disadvantaged Communities (DAC). The
utility also proposes to partner with the participating schools to conduct a marketing,
education, and outreach (ME&O) campaign through multiple media outlets and
on campus presentations.
SDG&E also proposes to spend $9.8 million over 2 years to install 120 level 2 (L2) chargers and 20 direct current fast chargers (DCFC)
across 12 State Parks and Beaches and 10 City and County Parks and Beaches. If
given approval by the Commission, SDG&E plans to site 100% of the selected
City and County Parks and Beaches in Disadvantaged Communities (DAC). The
utility will also partner with the participating parks to conduct a marketing,
education, and outreach campaign through multiple media outlets and on-site
presentations.
Liberty Utilities: (A.18-07-025) Application and Testimony
Liberty is proposing to spend $3.861 million over 2 years to
install 13 level 2 (L2) chargers, with 2 charge ports
each, and 2 direct current fast chargers (DCFC) across 17 K-12 schools, Lake
Tahoe Community College, and a Lake Tahoe Unified School District operated bus
barn. The proposed schools pilot will also include a marketing, education, and outreach
(ME&O) campaign to provide clarifying information to address frequent
questions and concerns about EV ownership.
Liberty also proposes to spend $0.741 million over 2 years to install 5 level 2 (L2)
chargers, with 2 ports each across 3 State Parks and Beach locations: Lake
Tahoe Golf Course, Sugar Pine State Park, and Kings Beach State Park. The
proposed parks pilot will also include a marketing, education, and outreach
(ME&O) campaign to provide clarifying information to address frequent
questions and concerns about EV ownership.
PG&E Empower EV
Charge Network (A.18-07-021)
PG&E is requesting $4.1 million to provide incentives for up to 2,000 level 2 EV charging stations for low-to-moderate income residents. PG&E is also proposing to provide up to 800 low-income residents with no-cost home electrical upgrades if needed to support EV charging. In addition, PG&E proposes to work with community-based organizations to provide outreach and education about the program, and plans to contract with a "implementer" to verify customers' program eligibility, provide no-cost chargers, and coordinate installation services. The proposed program timeline is 6 months for start up, one year for outreach and implementation, and three months for evaluation.
Vehicle-Grid
Integration
The CPUC, in collaboration with other state agencies, is developing
policies that support vehicle-grid integration (VGI). VGI helps align electric
vehicle charging with the needs of the electric grid. To do this, electric vehicles must have
capabilities to manage charging or support two-way interaction between vehicles
and the grid. Additional information and documentation can be found on the VGI working group website.
Pilot Programs
EPIC Program
The Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) supports the development of
non-commercialized new and emerging clean energy technologies in California and
provides assistance to commercially viable projects. The California Energy
Commission administers 80 percent of the funds collected, and the three IOUs
administer the remaining 20 percent. Several EPIC projects are related to
vehicle-grid integration.
Demand Response Pilots
PG&E and SCE implemented “demand response” pilots for
electric vehicles developed in accordance with D.12-04-045.
Demand response (or DR) is when customers change their electricity usage
(typically reducing use or shifting use to other times in the day) at certain
times in response to economic incentives, price signals, or other conditions.
Department of Defense Vehicle-to-Grid Pilot
SCE partnered with Los Angeles Air Force Base from late 2015 to September 2017 to conduct a vehicle to grid (V2G) pilot program
that allowed its electric vehicle fleet to send power back to the electric grid.
The vehicle batteries acted as storage, charging when power was cheapest – typically
midday when renewable energy generation peaks – and discharge energy back to
the grid when there were supply constraints. The fleet of 34 electric and hybrid
vehicles served as a storage resource participating in the California power
market. Throughout the pilot, which was funded by the California
Energy Commission and the U.S. Department of Defense, SCE provided L.A.
Air Force Base a specific
vehicle-to-grid (V2G) rate.
The final pilot report can be found here.
Low Carbon Transportation Choices Research
The Air Resources Board's low carbon transportation choices research program seeks to improve understanding of what drives vehicle choices, identify real-world emissions benefits of new and used electric vehicles and help increase adoption of zero and low-emissions vehicles across all income levels. Results of ARB's research through this program helps inform many of its clean vehicle incentive programs.
Regulatory History
The CPUC works jointly with other state agencies to meet
California’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and criteria air
pollutants from the transportation sector.
The CPUC began implementing policies aimed at reducing
emissions from transportation energy in 1990 but its work escalated in 2006
after the passage of Assembly
Bill (AB) 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act, which aims to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.
In 2009, pursuant to the Scoping
Plan and Senate Bill 626, the CPUC began an Alternative Fuel Vehicles
rulemaking (R.09-08-009)
to support the widespread deployment and use of plug-in hybrid and electric
vehicles.
Prior to the existing time-of-use rates, SDG&E conducted
a PEV TOU Pricing and
Technology Study. Customers were eligible for Experimental PEV Rates (Rev.1) (Rev.2), approved in Resolution
E-4334. SDG&E published a final
evaluation of the pilot, which ended in 2013
PG&E and SCE conducted pilot projects offering
time-of-use pricing to public transit systems, in an effort to develop rates
that meet the charging and utilization demands of bus and other public transit
fleets. These pilots were limited to three years and available only to
government-owned or operated fleets, as the CPUC works to develop policies that
address electric vehicle fleet charging needs and behaviors statewide.
- PG&E
offered the San Joaquin Regional Transit District its small
general service TOU energy rate to meet the transit district’s new electric
bus charging load from September 2013 to 2016, as approved in Resolution
E-4628.
- SCE
offered a small general service TOU rate from December 2012 to December 2015 to governments that included electric vehicles in their fleets , as approved in Resolution
E-4514.
In 2013, CPUC continued to develop rules with a specific
focus on ZEVs. It decided (D.13-06-14)
that the utilities should continue conducting research about the grid impacts
of the load associated with electric vehicle charging and costs associated with
any new transmission infrastructure needed to service increased electric
vehicle load. The joint IOU load research reports can be found here:
In December 2014, the
CPUC decided that investor-owned utilities could own transportation
electrification infrastructure but programs must be considered on a
case-by-case basis. This facilitated the development of PG&E, SCE and SDG&E's infrastructure pilot programs.
In recent years, CPUC has hosted several workshops to help inform its policy making including these listed below:
- The Basics of Cost Effectiveness Analysis:Presentations
(3/6/15)
- PEV Infrastructure Site Selection (6/10/15) and Metrics & Data
(6/16/15) Presentations
The current, ongoing proceeding, R.13-11-007,
seeks to
develop policies that ensure that ZEVs efficiently integrate with the
utility
grid and have access to fair rates that encourage electrification. CPUC
is also
working with other state agencies to implement policies and programs
that
encourage the deployment of charging equipment and infrastructure. A key
part of the agencies' work is focused on implementing requirements set
forth by California Senate Bill (SB) 350 to support widespread
transportation
electrification. More information about the investor-owned utilities'
most recent proposals to accelerate the deployment of transportation
electrification is available on the SB 350 transportation electrification website.
Resources
Research
Database
In 2018, CPUC collected pilot project information through a new survey on zero-emission vehicle infrastructure and vehicle-grid integration research. The survey results are publicly available and can be downloaded as an Excel file.
CPUC
seeks to maintain up-to-date, consolidated information on pilot programs to help
researchers, regulators, and other utility and transportation stakeholders stay
informed about this quickly changing field. The database includes for each project: contact
information, location, participants, objectives, rates, funding, timeline,
vehicles, equipment, standards, and software.
In 2016, the CPUC organized information about a variety of past and ongoing pilot projects and compiled the results into an easily-searchable presentation. This resource includes links to dozens of reports with findings from
research on transportation electrification, and was last updated in August 2018.
Disadvantaged Communities
California Air Resources Board
California Energy Commission
California Sustainable Freight Action Plan
An interagency
action plan aimed at
improving freight efficiency, transitioning to cleaner fuels, and increasing
the competitiveness of California’s freight system.
CPUC Contacts
For a list of CPUC Staff Contacts by subject matter, click here.
Media please contact the CPUC’s News Office at (415)703-1366
or news@cpuc.ca.gov.
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