RMI’s public GridUp tool forecasts grid demand from vehicle electrification

US think tank RMI, formerly known as Rocky Mountain Institute, has released GridUp, a publicly accessible tool that helps utilities forecast when and where energy and power demand will materialise from vehicle electrification.

GridUp, supported by a grant from FedEx, can forecast EV power needs at the census-block group level.

According to RMI in a release, the tool will provide electric utility decision makers for the first time with detailed information to quickly, effectively and confidently upgrade the grid to meet the increasing demand for EV charging infrastructure.

Specifically, the new tool opens access to three streams of key data:

• Which areas will see the largest amounts of EV growth, and what will drive that growth.

RMI explains that areas with a high concentration of medium- and heavy-duty electric truck activity are likely to see some of the largest new demands for electricity.

They cite the example of the Cornell neighbourhood in southeast Atlanta, Georgia, where multiple logistics companies have distribution centres or freight depots and as such may see new loads of up to 7MW.

• How much energy will be needed to support charging in a given area.

RMI cites the example of EV charging in Allegheny County, which contains Pittsburgh–which has about 160,000 housing units–and will require the equivalent of almost 68,000 single family homes-worth of energy by 2035.

• What kinds of charging locations will need to be built in specific areas.

For example, states RMI, GridUp demonstrates that Crown Heights, a relatively dense part of Brooklyn, mostly requires chargers in public locations and at multi-family homes, while Kew Gardens Hills, a less dense neighborhood of Queens, requires chargers at single-family homes and public locations.

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Commenting in a release was Clay Stranger, managing director at RMI: “One of the most consequential barriers to widespread transportation electrification is the grid’s ability to reliably provide the power required for vehicle charging.

“GridUp addresses this barrier by projecting when and where EVs will need power with granular detail, enabling utilities, cities and states to make informed planning and investment decisions. This will help provide charging that is equitable, ubiquitous and available where and when it is needed most.”

Said Pat Donlon, vice president of Global Vehicles, FedEx: “Fleet electrification requires the cooperation of an entire ecosystem — utilities are as much a part of it as vehicle manufacturers, fleet owners and charging infrastructure providers.

“You can order all the electric vehicles in the world over the next few years, but none of that matters if the grid capacity isn’t there to support charging them. That’s why supporting a tool like GridUp is so vital to help utilities understand and plan for increased electricity needs from having more personal and commercial EVs on the road.”

RMI has piloted the GridUp tool since 2021, gaining important insights from utilities and regulators on how to provide the best data for proactive investments in the grid.