Where do Electric Vehicles Fit into
Wisconsin’s Generation, Transmission,
and Regulatory Landscape?
Commissioner Eric Callisto
Public Service Commission of Wisconsin
July 14, 2011 – WPUI Conference - Utilities as
Transportation Fuel Providers
Goals of Presentation
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Wisconsin Grid Strength Overview
EV Impacts
Wisconsin Utilities’ Current Efforts
Brief Look at Other States
Next Steps – Issues for
Utilities/Regulators
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WI Electric Grid Strength
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WI, 1990’s: Reserve margins fell below 10%
Last 10 years: substantial generation and
transmission investment
New generation: about 6000 MW since 2001
Includes coal, natural gas, and wind
Renewables: about 900 MW of new capacity
Doubled renewables in last 5 yrs (8% in 2010)
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Grid Strength, cont’d
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Transmission: $2B approved since 2001
Represents about 1200 miles of line
Overall result = reserve margins currently
forecasted above 20% through 2014, and
above 15% through 2016
In sum, strong reliability, increasing energy
diversity, but some question extent of
capacity build-out
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EV Impacts – Benefits/Concerns
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Benefits/Concerns generally fall
into 4 categories:
 Grid
 Economics
 Environment
 Energy security
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EV Impacts – Electric Grid
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Staff modeling – quick look at load impacts
Both “low” and “high” penetration runs
Common assumptions:
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Daily charge of 21.6 kWh (36 kWh/100 mile)
40-mile trip + htg/cooling = 60-mile charge
Charging: 30 amps at 220 v and 6.6 kW rating
Decreasing charge of 6 hours from 5pm – 11pm
ATC footprint only
0.75% annual electric growth
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EV Impacts – Electric Grid
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Low penetration: 20,000 EV by 2015 (under
1%) and 70,000 by 2020 (under 3%)
Low run consistent with President’s national
goal of 1 million EV by 2015
High penetration: 100,000 EV by 2015
(about 4%) and 600,000 by 2020 (about
24% )
Both runs assume gradual annual increase
to 2015, then steady annual additions
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EV Impacts – Electric Grid
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EV Impacts – Electric Grid
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EV Impacts – Electric Grid
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Takeaways:
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100,000 cars/yr = ~1% annual growth
Significant penetration needed to
implicate system-level impacts
Low penetration can be absorbed
Distribution level stress more of an issue
Time of charging is key
Vehicle tracking/forecasting important
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EV Impacts – Charging
Infrastructure
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Mix of publicly available and in-home
charging stations preferable
Public chargers: where do they go, who
owns them, and how are they paid for?
In-home charging: Upgrades necessary for
Level II charging (estimates range from
$500 - $2500, depending on existing
electrical panel)
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EV Impacts – Economics
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Energy prices will rise with high penetration
 Will be a function of extent of demand, time of
charging, and battery function
 Result of calling on less economic plants
 One study found as much as a 300% increase,
under high evening charging
 Nighttime charging dulls price impact
Costs/Profits – potential to reduce transportation
fuel costs and improve utility financial health
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EV Impacts - Environmental
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While EVs reduce transportation sector
emissions, utility sector emissions likely rise
Utility sector emissions impact highly
sensitive to regional generation mix and
time of charging
63% of Wisconsin’s electricity from coal
The marginal producer’s emissions profile
will vary with time of charging
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EV Impacts - Summation
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Impacts, in sum:
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EVs increase demand, but extent of impact
depends on penetration level, time of charging,
and neighborhood effects
While generation will increase, modest
penetration to be absorbed by current capacity
Charging infrastructure will need to be deployed
Energy prices could rise, depending on market
development and charging practices
Emissions in the utility sector could increase
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WI Utilities – Current Efforts
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Very little other than preliminary planning
Consensus view: adoption rate will be slow
and relatively low for Wisconsin (1-5% in
next 5 to 10 years)
Most utilities are not specifically forecasting
EV growth, though some considering it
The Midwest (rural Midwest, in particular)
not typically early adopters
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Other States – Current Efforts
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CA: proceeding underway (required by law)
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Phase I complete – July 2010 order concluded
that battery charging treated as unregulated
Phase II underway – comprehensive look at
regulatory treatment of EV deployment
WA:
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Legislation, signed this year, presumes that EV
charging is unregulated, non-utility service
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Other States, continued
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OR:
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IN:
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Generic proceeding started Dec. ‘09
Comprehensive in scope as to public utility role
in EV deployment
Comments appear to be in, awaiting PUC action
IP&L has two EV-specific rate offerings (TOU
and flat fee)
IL:
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ICC has ongoing generic on EV impacts
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Next Steps – Issues for
Utilities and Regulators
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Protecting the Grid:
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Innovative rates
Accurate and timely forecasting
Timely understanding of distribution level
impacts (neighborhood effects)
Electricity Prices:
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Rate design to encourage off-peak charging
Possibility of EV electricity storage as ancillary
service?
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Next Steps, continued
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Who Owns and Earns:
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Non-utility ownership
Unregulated sale of charging services
Socialization of costs
Emissions:
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Which sector realizes reduction credit?
Rate design
Green energy offerings
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Contact Information
Eric Callisto, Commissioner
Public Service Commission of Wisconsin
610 N. Whitney Way
Madison, WI 53707
(608) 266-1261
http://psc.wi.gov
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