Abstract:

The passenger vehicles in the U.S. are electrifying at an unprecedented rate. In 2018, one million electric vehicles (EVs) were on the road, and studies project that by 2030, approximately 20 million EVs will be deployed across the country. Globally, this number could surpass 250 million EVs by 2030, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Though EVs are two to three times more efficient than conventional gasoline-powered vehicles and have no emissions at the tailpipe, the reduction in GHG emissions and overall air quality benefits they bring depend on the mix of generation sources on the grid used to charge them.

Acknowledging this, several utilities, automakers, cities and EV charging providers across the U.S. are rolling out new pilot programs and services that allow residential and commercial customers to use renewable energy for their EVs electricity needs, and charge at times that help integrate more renewable energy sources on the grid.