White Paper Explores Interoperability Challenges and Recommendations in U.S. Electric Vehicle Charging Market


PALO ALTO, Calif., Aug. 07, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), in collaboration with the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), the Alliance for Transportation Electrification (ATE), the American Public Power Association (APPA), and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), today issued a white paper that identifies challenges and recommendations to enable greater interoperability and standardization of U.S. electric vehicle (EV) charging.

The paper, Interoperability of Public Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure, addresses four challenges and how each may impact customers, site hosts, and electric companies:

  • Charging network-to-charging network interoperability
  • Charging station-to-network interoperability
  • Physical charging interface interoperability
  • Vehicle-grid interoperability

This white paper frames interoperability as the harmonizing of standards, technology, and practices for EV charging.

“Interoperability provides customers and the market with the transparency needed for EV charging to evolve in an efficient and resilient manner,” said EPRI Senior Vice President of R&D Arshad Mansoor. “Collaboration in this effort will be important as infrastructure continues to scale.”

“It is more important than ever that we focus on making the customer EV charging experience seamless and convenient, and that means identifying the technical requirements that will enable us to meet the expectations of EV drivers,” said EEI Vice President of Customer Solutions Lisa Wood. “It is critical that investments in EV charging infrastructure lead to options for EV drivers that are convenient, easy to use, and secure.”

“Open standards and interoperability are key issues for public EV charging in the United States, especially as we build the required infrastructure at greater scale,” said Phil Jones, Executive Director, Alliance for Transportation Electrification. “Consumers need to be able to move seamlessly among network systems as they access public EV charging. We look forward to working with all stakeholders to help understand technical issues and find the most efficient path forward.”

“As rapid advancement of technologies will potentially see significant increased use of electricity public power utilities will need to carefully consider what investments will be most beneficial to their communities,” said APPA Senior Vice President of Engineering Services Mike Hyland. “This is a helpful guidepost for all industry players to ensure we look before we leap in implementing major changes, and to consider where other communities are moving so that we can take a smart approach together.”

“If we want the electric vehicle market to grow, it is vital that stakeholders agree to a set of standards that enable the infrastructure, vehicles, and other components to work seamlessly; interoperability is key,” said NRECA’s Senior Vice President for Business and Technology Strategies Jim Spiers. “This paper lays a solid foundation from which to build as we work towards this goal collaboratively.”

The paper outlines four collaborative areas of focus necessary in building a charging system that offers convenience, confidence, and security:

  • Implementing a standard protocol for business-to-business connectivity that facilitates consumer roaming among charging networks or protocol for credit, debit, or pre-paid card users.
  • Implementing open, nonproprietary protocols that enable interchangeable services and operations among charge stations and networks.
  • Adopting a single DC charging system, or alternative solutions to facilitate interoperability for light-duty EVs (cars and small trucks) to improve charging access and efficiently scale infrastructure.
  • Developing and implementing open standards to manage changing based on grid conditions.

Participation in collaborative, cross-functional working groups, such as the EPRI sponsored National Electric Transportation Infrastructure Working Council (IWC), can help advance these recommendations.

To download the white paper, please click here: https://www.epri.com/#/pages/product/3002017164/.

About EPRI

The Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. (EPRI, www.epri.com) conducts research and development relating to the generation, delivery and use of electricity for the benefit of the public. An independent, nonprofit organization, EPRI brings together its scientists and engineers as well as experts from academia and industry to help address challenges in electricity, including reliability, efficiency, health, safety and the environment. EPRI's members represent more than 90 percent of the electricity generated and delivered in the United States, and international participation extends to 40 countries. EPRI's principal offices and laboratories are located in Palo Alto, Calif.; Charlotte, N.C.; Knoxville, Tenn.; and Lenox, Mass.

About EEI

EEI is the association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. Our members provide electricity for more than 220 million Americans, and operate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. As a whole, the electric power industry supports more than 7 million jobs in communities across the United States. In addition to our U.S. members, EEI has more than ​65 international electric companies, with operations in more than 90 countries, as International Members, and hundreds of industry suppliers and related organizations as Associate Members.

About ATE

The Alliance for Transportation Electrification is a new, non-profit organization whose members represent a broad and diverse collection of organizations that advocates for an acceleration of transportation electrification across the United States. The Alliance believes that a multi-stakeholder coalition educating and promoting the benefits of transportation electrification is essential to facilitate its widespread adoption.

About APPA

The American Public Power Association is the voice of not-for-profit, community-owned utilities that power 2,000 towns and cities nationwide. We represent public power before the federal government to protect the interests of the more than 49 million people that public power utilities serve, and the 93,000 people they employ. The Association advocates and advises on electricity policy, technology, trends, training, and operations. Our members strengthen their communities by providing superior service, engaging citizens, and instilling pride in community-owned power.

About NRECA

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association is the national trade association representing more than 900 local electric cooperatives. From growing suburbs to remote farming communities, electric co-ops serve as engines of economic development for 42 million Americans across 56 percent of the nation’s landscape. As local businesses built by the consumers they serve, electric cooperatives have meaningful ties to rural America and invest $12 billion annually in their communities.


            

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