Concerto™ platform now enabling Alectra Utilities to offer smart EV charging for single-family and multifamily customers
WAUKESHA, Wis., June 29, 2023 — Generac Grid Services, a subsidiary of Generac Power Systems (NYSE: GNRC), a leading designer and manufacturer of energy technology solutions and other power products, today announced that its Concerto™ platform is now supporting AlectraDrive @Home, a managed electric vehicle charging initiative operated by Alectra Utilities.
The AlectraDrive @Home pilot project is designed to gain a better understanding of the influence that EV charging has on the grid by managing the delivery of EV charging to residents in single-family homes and multifamily buildings. Enrolled single-family homes allow the utility to reduce power to their EV charging during peak demand events (typically between 5-9 p.m. on weekdays). For multifamily buildings enrolled in the pilot, EV charging stations are programmed to avoid charging above a maximum power threshold during peak periods of the day. This threshold control has the potential to save building owners significant amounts on their electricity bills through the reduction in utility demand charges, while maintaining electrical capacity for other uses.
The program schedule enables Alectra to run peak demand charging events for all participants and enables threshold control for multifamily buildings. These managed charging events are active every other week during the pilot and will enable Alectra to compare data from ‘active’ managed charging weeks with those absent of any control measures.
“Understanding our multifamily and single-family customers’ charging behavior is a critical step in Alectra’s plans to ensure a reliable and cost-effective grid as more individuals purchase EVs,” shared Neetika Sathe, vice president, Alectra GRE&T Centre. “Beyond collecting valuable charging data, Concerto helps us automate EV charging, reducing friction for participating customers. Smart charging tools, like the one provided by Generac Grid Services through the Concerto platform, will become an increasingly important part of utilities’ strategy for managing the grid as EV adoption continues to increase.”
“The AlectraDrive @Home program is unique in its engagement of multiple customer types, serving multiple use cases, to truly understand EV drivers’ ability to support their local grid,” said James Carr, president of Generac Grid Services. “Generac Grid Services is proud to support Alectra, not only through our Concerto platform but also through the automatic notifications required to ensure customers know when charging events will occur and can prepare effectively. These notifications are essential for keeping program satisfaction high.”
The AlectraDrive @Home program builds upon the relationship between Alectra Utilities and Generac Grid Services. With Generac Grid Services, Alectra delivered its AlectraDrive @Work pilot program to provide smart EV charging to office buildings. Combining the insights from the AlectraDrive @Work and @Home programs will help the utility develop a holistic plan to support the growing number of EVs expected to connect to its grid.
AlectraDrive @Home is funded by the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) Grid Innovation Fund and by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) through the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Demonstration component of its Energy Innovation program.
About Generac Grid Services
Generac Grid Services is a subsidiary of Generac Power Systems (NYSE: GNRC), a leading designer and manufacturer of energy technology solutions and other power products. Generac Grid Services is working to change the way the world generates and uses electricity. From turnkey solar + storage solutions, to backup generators, additional distributed energy resources and virtual power plant software, Generac Grid Services is helping to accelerate the world’s transition to a cleaner, more reliable power grid. Via the company’s energy-balancing platform, power generation and storage products that might otherwise sit idle are now able to be dispatched and orchestrated as part of a distributed energy solution, thereby generating value for the home or business owner, while also delivering value to the energy grid.
Media Contact: Stephanie Rodgers
Stephanie.Rodgers@Generac.com
Phone: 262.544.4811 Ext. 4456