Xcel Pilots EV Charging Project in Colorado
A bidirectional charging pilot project has been announced in a collaboration between Fermata Energy, Xcel Energy, City of Boulder, Colorado CarShare and Boulder Housing Partners. The Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) scheme is set at Boulder Housing Partners’ 30 Pearl development and the Molly’s Spirits Lakeside facility.
The innovative program sets out to convert parked electric vehicles (EVs) into mobile power units. This has potential to improve grid resilience, lower electric bill costs and support underserved communities along with local businesses. Huma Seth, Director of Clean Transportation at Xcel Energy, stated, “We know EVs can help customers save money on their transportation costs and they deliver cleaner air for everyone because they are powered with increasingly clean electricity.”
The pilot program utilizes Fermata Energy’s intelligent bidirectional charging platform paired with four FE-20 chargers and two of Colorado CarShare’s Nissan LEAFs. By doing so, it aims to highlight the untapped potential of V2X and Vehicle-to-Building (V2B) technology. When an electric vehicle is in V2X mode and parked, the Fermata Energy platform uses the vehicle’s battery energy to offset and reduce building’s peak demand.
Fermata Energy’s Demand Charge Management (DCM) software intelligence handles power and energy in the system via charge rate, frequency and depth, while preserving the vehicle’s battery health. The goal is to increase customer value by curtailing building peak demand while preserving needed range for the expected electric vehicle duty cycle. “We’re on the cusp of a transformative era in energy management, where electric vehicles transcend their traditional transportation roles to become pivotal in increasing grid resilience and sustainability,” said Tony Posawatz, CEO of Fermata Energy.
Fermata Energy’s innovation in V2X technology stands out. The City of Boulder has used Fermata Energy’s V2B technology at the North Boulder Recreation Center since December 2020. The successful implementation has enabled energy cost savings and reinforced the city’s commitment to renewable energy and sustainability.
Fermata Energy has also launched a Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) pilot program for multi-family affordable housing, with the aim of making EVs more affordable for low-income drivers in Boston. The collaboration between Fermata Energy, Xcel Energy, City of Boulder, Colorado CarShare and Boulder Housing Partners marks a significant step toward integrating electric vehicles with the energy grid to enhance resilience and efficiency.
