Nova Scotia Vehicle Grid Integration Pilot

Lead Proponent

Nova Scotia Power Inc.

Project Objectives

The objective of this project is to demonstrate and assess the benefits of electric vehicle (EV) integration into the Nova Scotia grid, including the economic viability, benefits to the grid, and effects on EV user experience, using a utility-managed centralized control system.

The project will:

• demonstrate smart charging and vehicle-to-grid integration solutions to manage the timing and intensity of Nova Scotians’ electricity demand,
• enable an increased capacity to accept variable sources of renewable energy such as wind and solar,
• assess the typical EV charging behaviours of Nova Scotia users,
• assess the willingness of EV drivers to participate in vehicle-grid integration activities based on various factors (financial incentives, availability of renewable energy),
• inform Utilities on sustainable rate design decisions related to EV integration.

In order to accomplish these objectives, the project will recruit up to 200 participants in the province to demonstrate utility-controlled smart charging and assess the potential of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) bidirectional charging to mitigate peak demand impacts (both locally and grid-scale).

Expected Results

The success of this project will demonstrate a cost-effective solution for vehicle-grid integration in Nova Scotia, and could lead to significant growth opportunities for solution providers, as well as similar opportunities to provide ratepayer benefits, such as lower rates, in other jurisdictions in Canada.

The smart charging demonstration will leverage the amount of variable renewable generation to an otherwise carbon-intensive grid.