INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT
Other provisions
Section 40107
Demonstration of electric vehicle battery second-life applications for grid services.
Most of an EV’s battery capacity remains after it can no longer meet the demands of a vehicle application.
Demonstration projects have shown that they can be aggregated and connected to the grid for any number of applications from peak shaving to frequency regulation.
A decade ago, ABB conducted a research project with General Motors that showed how used batteries collected from Chevy Volt cars could be used for residential or grid storage; today’s batteries hold even greater potential thanks to their greater capacity and energy density.
$3 billion
Smart Grid Investment Matching Grant Program originally introduced as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Section 40111 also provides for a study of codes and standards for use of energy storage systems in general. Utilities may not be involved in these efforts currently, but they may opt to and would be well advised to keep abreast of these developments if not participating directly in the standards-making process.
Section 40107
Promote greater electrification of the transportation sector
Since the electrification of transport represents the single largest boost to demand that the industry has seen in a century, utilities will likely take interest. Measures considered include:
- Establishing rates that promote affordable and equitable EV charging
- Improving the customer experience
- Reducing wait times associated with EV charging
- Accelerating third-party investment in public EV charging
- Recovering marginal costs of delivering electricity to EVs and charging infrastructure.
Many hurdles remain to widespread EV adoption, but suppliers are meeting the challenge with packaged equipment solutions
- Reduced complexity
- More efficient (and faster) higher-power chargers,
- Onboard charger diagnostics
- Engineering and designs that can yield savings and avoid rework
Electrification is already moving into other modes of transport. From ferries to non-road vehicles, like specialized airport vehicles and forklifts, there are more opportunities for utilities to deliver electricity to power these users, and to provide engineering and grid integration services.
ABB helped electrify Niagara Falls' Maid of the Mist, making it the first electric ferry.