Clean Energy Works is proud to partner with the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) for the publication of Grid Readiness in Rural Electric Cooperatives for Medium and Heavy Duty Vehicle Electrification: Recommendations for Improving Grid Planning to Manage Load Growth.
Rural electric cooperatives are facing challenges surrounding building and transportation electrification, the rise of data centers, and overall load growth increases. With these challenges comes a unique opportunity to leverage electric medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDVs) as mobile storage and bidirectional vehicle-grid services.
What’s in the report?
- Overview of rural electric cooperatives: An explanation of rural electric cooperatives and how they are pioneering inclusive utility investments.
- Challenges and opportunities: An analysis of challenges facing MHDV electrification and the opportunities for MHDV electrification in rural America.
- Recommendations: Five best practices for improving grid planning for MHDV electrification in rural electric cooperatives, including:
- Work closely with capital providers: Rural electric cooperatives can collaborate with their capital partners to ensure that capital needs are met ahead of demand and that timing is aligned with stakeholders.
- Use new data, modeling, and projection tools: Advanced tools can help predict where grid demand will rise, evaluate grid impacts, and determine potential upgrades. Find a comprehensive list of tools and resources in the full report.
- Strategically select sites for charging infrastructure in rural electric cooperative territories: Strategic site selection helps optimize resources and ensure infrastructure placement is aligned with demand. Read the full report for a list of areas with a high energy demand from MHDV electrification.
- Proactively engage with fleet owners to understand their electrification plans and impact on the grid: Grid upgrades require significant time and capital. Rural co-ops need to proactively engage with fleets to understand their electrification plans and timelines, identify any necessary grid upgrades, and complete those upgrades in advance of fleet load materialization.
- Integrate with distributed energy resource plans: Integration with DERs, like solar and virtual power plants, can strengthen microgrids and lower costs for member-owners.
Why this matters
Rural electric cooperatives may be cautious of MHDV electrification challenges such as limited capital and infrastructure gaps. However, rural electric cooperatives have a governance structure and low-cost capital access that give them an advantage when it comes to MDHV electrification.
Rural communities present numerous opportunities for MHDV electrification:
- Greater regulatory flexibility: Less state-level regulation gives rural electric cooperatives agency to implement EV programs that meet the needs of their communities.
- A not-for-profit model: Rural electric cooperatives do not have external stakeholders, allowing them to focus on serving their communities and member-owners vs. maximizing profits.
- Favorable rate structures: Operating EVs in rural areas is more affordable than in IOU territories, giving them a cost advantage in electrification.
- Member-owned governance: Rural electric cooperatives’ member-owner structure allows them to prioritize the needs of their communities in grid updates and electrification.
- Deep community ties: Rural electric cooperatives are able to build relationships with local businesses, governments, and fleet operators which builds trust when implementing electrification programs.
When rural electric cooperatives incorporate MHDVs into their grid planning approach they can ensure fair energy distribution and lower costs for their member-owners. Additionally, this capacity to supplement power supply takes away the urgent pressure for rural electric cooperatives to invest in upgrades that they may not be able to afford. When member-owners are centered in decision-making, rural electric cooperatives have the opportunity to build an energy efficient future.
Download the report here.
Questions? Email us at: margarita.parra@cleanenergyworks.org and lidiya.kassahun@cleanenergyworks.org
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