Vehicle-Grid Integration Council Launches Utility Collaboration Forum
Connecting Utilities and Industry Leaders to Drive Grid Reliability with Electric Vehicles
April 30, 2024
Sacramento, CA — (UTILITY DIVE) – Vehicle-Grid Integration Council (VGIC) launches the Utility Collaboration Forum (UCF), a unique venue for utilities to come together with VGIC’s diverse network, including automakers, fleet management specialists, and electric vehicle (EV) service providers, to address the challenges and opportunities of managed charging, bidirectional charging, and distributed energy resource paired charging.
UCF offers utilities and VGIC members a collaborative environment to address real-world vehicle-grid integration (VGI) implementation and co-develop the emergent best practices for program and rate design, utility operational enhancements, and planning practices. VGIC will host and facilitate quarterly deep dives on key VGI topics, such as bidirectional charger interconnection and vehicle-to-everything program design. These sessions will provide an engaging and trusted space for utilities and VGIC members to openly share feedback and foster alignment to break down VGI barriers.
By participating in UCF, utilities can streamline the integration of EVs onto their grids, reduce operational costs, shape the future of VGI investments, increase grid reliability and community resiliency, and enhance customer satisfaction.
Participating utilities include Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), Consolidated Edison (Con Edison), National Grid, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), as well as VGIC Associate Members Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE), and Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD).
“Con Edison is thinking more boldly about ways to serve increased demand and strengthen the sustainability of our energy grid as more of our customers transition to electric vehicles,” said Britt Reichborn-Kjennerud, Director of E-Mobility & Demonstrations at Con Edison. “We are proud to participate in VGIC’s Utility Collaboration Forum, which will allow us to collaborate with industry stakeholders around the nation on vehicle-grid integration best practices as we work to get more EVs connected to our grid.”
“Northern and Central California make up the nation’s largest EV market—with more than half a million EVs on the road today—so having a seat at the table with the VGIC’s Utility Collaboration Forum is an amazing opportunity to further strengthen PG&E’s industry-leading efforts to create the most robust vehicle-grid-integration portfolio in the world. We are proud to play an active role in reducing customers’ barriers to EV adoption and providing the platform, expertise, and cross-industry leadership to enable customers with a range of options that unleash the full potential of their electric vehicles.” — Mike Delaney, Vice President of Utility Partnerships & Innovation at Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E)
For utilities and industry leaders interested in joining UCF or VGIC members seeking additional information, please contact Shannon McGuire at info@vgicouncil.org.
About Vehicle-Grid Integration Council
Vehicle-Grid Integration Council (VGIC) is a national 501(c)(6) membership-based trade association committed to advancing the role of electric vehicles and vehicle-grid integration (VGI) through policy development, education, outreach, and research. VGIC is the only association dedicated to growing the market to recognize and compensate the value of VGI services to support a more reliable, affordable, and efficient electric grid. VGIC members include American Honda Motor Co., Inc., BorgWarner, Fermata Energy, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Nissan Group of North America, Bidirectional Energy, Customized Energy Solutions, dcbel, Eaton, Emporia, EnergyHub, ev.energy, FreeWire Technologies, Inc., Gridwiz, Hoosier Energy, Kaluza, Landis+Gyr, Leap, Nuvve Holding Corporation, Peak Power, Peninsula Clean Energy, PowerFlex, QCells, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Stellantis, Sumitomo Electric, The Mobility House, Toyota Motor North America, Inc., and WeaveGrid. To learn more, visit vgicouncil.org.