GridPoint's Next-Generation Smart Charging Software to Support Largest U.S. Electric Vehicle Deployment, Fueled by $100 Million in Stimulus

SEE ALSO: EV-MOTORING.COM

LONG BEACH, Calif.--GridPoint, Inc., an established leader in smart grid software, announced today at the Plug-In 2009 Conference and Exposition that it will provide its next-generation electric vehicle management software, Smart Charging 3.0, to support the largest U.S. deployment of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure. GridPoint is also providing demonstrations of the product, available to utility customers in September, in booth #409.

Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (eTec), a subsidiary of ECOtality (OTCBB: ETLY), was awarded nearly $100 million in stimulus funding last week to deploy charging infrastructure and advance the adoption of electric vehicles. GridPoint joins Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and Nissan North America as strategic partners, as well as other project participants, which can be viewed here: http://www.ecotality.com/newsletter/081009_ECOtality_eTec_Partner_Congrats.html. Together with INL, GridPoint has been working for over a year with eTec on electric vehicle performance and fast-charge systems.

GridPoint will provide smart charging and data logging capabilities to utilities in strategic markets of the eTec program in Arizona, California, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington that will support the deployment of up to 5,000 Nissan LEAF vehicles and a network of up to 12,750 charging stations. GridPoint’s charging management software will give utilities the ability to deploy load shifting, load shaping, renewables integration and demand response strategies. Advanced smart charging capabilities, such as synchronization with the availability of renewable energy, may also be explored.

To date, utility-led smart charging trials have been limited by the availability of grid-connected vehicles. The size and scope of this project creates a unique and valuable opportunity to assess and qualify:

• Effects of a mature plug-in electric vehicle environment, with and without smart charging, on multiple electrical grids;
• Benefits of smart charging on grid reliability to inform utility, PUC and regulator decision making on vehicle-related rate schedules;
• Customer satisfaction and perception of various smart charging scenarios; and
• Incentive programs to ensure maximum participation in smart charging programs

“GridPoint is delighted to participate in eTec’s groundbreaking project and applauds our country’s commitment to support the creation of an intelligent electric vehicle infrastructure,” said Peter L. Corsell, CEO, GridPoint. “Our advanced software capabilities will help utilities prepare the grid for the imminent arrival of plug-in vehicles.”

GridPoint’s smart charging software manages the flow of electricity to plug-in vehicles and charging stations, allowing utilities to balance real-time grid conditions with the needs of individual drivers. For two years, GridPoint has been building and deploying smart charging software, collecting data from hundreds of converted plug-in vehicles and gathering feedback from utility customers. Smart Charging 3.0 builds on this wealth of experience to deliver:

Forecasting and Backcasting: GridPoint has introduced forecasting capabilities for plug-in vehicle load, setting a new standard for smart charging. Based on historic behavior, Smart Charging 3.0 predicts vehicle-related load up to 24 hours in advance. This new functionality allows utilities to better plan for the impact electric transportation load will have on the grid and to proactively initiate smart charging strategies to mitigate and/or leverage that load. Additionally, Smart Charging 3.0 provides a visual display of plug-in charging impacts with and without charging management for the previous 24 hours – allowing utilities to quickly assess the effectiveness of their smart charging strategies.

Demand Response Functionality: Smart Charging 3.0 supports external demand response notification via the OpenADR standard, allowing plug-in vehicles and charging stations to stop charging during critical peak events. System users are notified of ongoing demand response events through real-time messaging that appears on GridPoint’s smart charging and data logging portals. Consumer notification via Web portal or handheld device is also enabled.

Enhanced Smart Charging Portal Design: Through the addition of intuitive functionality in the Smart Charging Portal, GridPoint has improved the ability to quickly ascertain the impact of vehicle charging load and the success of various smart charging strategies, while also providing a greater ability to drill down and explore charging behavior during a specific time of day. Enhanced functionality includes 24-hour display of historic and predicted load/generation, zoomable charts, mouse-over data detail, and real-time display of aggregated statistics of all vehicles deployed in smart charging programs.

Smart Charging 3.0 also enhances system scalability and reliability via performance optimization and increased redundancy. In response to requests from utilities and research institutions, GridPoint has expanded the software’s robust data capture to include average power factor, battery pack voltage and other advanced performance information.

For more information on GridPoint’s new electric vehicle management solution, please email smartcharging@gridpoint.com.

In addition to electric vehicle management, the GridPoint Platform allows utilities to progressively integrate and customize smart grid solutions including energy efficiency, load management, renewable integration and storage management. GridPoint is working with utilities nationwide including Xcel Energy, Duke Energy, Austin Energy, Progress Energy and Seattle City Light and was selected by the World Economic Forum as a Technology Pioneer in 2008.

About GridPoint

GridPoint, Inc., an established leader in smart grid software, enables utilities to easily manage the transformation to a Smart Grid. GridPoint’s software aggregates and manages an intelligent network of distributed energy resources that controls load, stores energy and produces power. Utilities efficiently balance supply and demand, improve grid reliability and empower consumers with user-friendly software to manage energy consumption. Utilities and consumers realize the benefits of energy intelligence with GridPoint’s solutions including energy management, load management, renewable integration, storage management and electric vehicle management. With GridPoint’s interoperable platform, utilities rapidly integrate and manage emerging technologies, resulting in a practical path to developing a clean, efficient 21^st century grid. On the Net: www.gridpoint.com