FlexCharging, a leader in smart electric vehicle (EV) charging, gains momentum with a new partner and funding to help utilities manage the impact of EVs on the power grid.

Posted November 7, 2022

REDMOND, Wash., October 26, 2022 - FlexCharging, Inc., the first company to do electric vehicle (EV) smart & managed charging with its over-the-air technology, has secured a new partner and Series A funding from Accurant International. This partnership will accelerate the roll-out of the technology to help utility companies manage the coming wave of electric vehicles so EVs don't cripple the electrical grid due to power shortages and force the utilities to continue their dependence and use of electricity generated from fossil fuels.

With FlexCharging, EV owners simply download the app, set their charging preferences, and plug in their car wherever they go. Then FlexCharging optimizes charging to ensure the car charges during periods when grid demand is lower, or optimize mass charging of cars on a particular utility substation and feeder not to overload utility equipment. This will result in a more predictable demand for utilities and reduce overloads and emergencies by shifting power demand and consequently reducing their reliance or deployment of peaking fossil fuel power plants. This enables utilities and customers to use electric vehicles as a grid resource instead of trying to manage the grid stability issues that large-scale EV adoption could cause the electrical system.

FlexCharging, an American company based in Seattle, Washington, founded by Brian Grunkemeyer, a technology expert with 21 years leading cloud compute engineering at Microsoft and an environmentalist at heart with 10 years of involvement with the Sierra Club, was the first to perform 'smart managed charging' through over-the-air technology in 2017. Brian has always focused on environmental impact and on establishing the best technology to solve core critical massive-scale problems.

CLICK HERE to read the full press release.

Posted November 7, 2022

In 2014, Brian Grunkemeyer was a Microsoft principal software engineer with a passion for fighting climate change. That year he bought a Tesla Model S and drove it from his home in Redmond, Wash. to San Jose, Calif.

“On a road trip like that, you have a lot of time to think deeply about EV charging,” Grunkemeyer said.

His realization? That if projections were correct, electric car charging was going to require a huge amount of power.

Grunkemeyer began working on a solution, creating a startup that launched in 2019 as FlexCharging. The company recently landed the initial close of its first venture round, bringing total funding to $6.2 million. Its lead investor is Accurant International.

The challenge that Grunkemeyer set out tackle is the fact that energy supply and demand fluctuate over time. Solar panels and wind turbines produce more power during daylight or windy conditions. Demand or “load” can spike if everyone gets home from work, for example, and plugs in their cars at the same time. If demand outpaces supply, utilities can fire up backup sources, often coal or gas-powered generators. In the long term, they might build new power plants to meet peak demand — or risk power outages.

The Fix

Grunkemeyer’s solution helps EV drivers charge when energy is more plentiful. Using data from utilities and a nonprofit called WattTime, the FlexCharging app automatically manages charging to coincide with times when demand is at its lowest and supply the greenest. Drivers enter information setting the window of time their vehicle will be plugged in and the minimum charge level that they need to reach.

The app is free to drivers. It currently works for vehicles from 19 automakers and more than 60 EV models.

CLICK HERE to read the full article.

Posted November 7, 2022

New York, November 3, 2022 – As extreme heat put electrical infrastructure to the test across North America again this summer, utilities and their customers showed they can step up and support grid reliability when it matters most. 

Households and businesses across the continent worked with EnergyHub client utilities to manage 1.3 GW of flexibility from 900,000+ devices, reducing grid load at critical times. In total, EnergyHub utilities called 1,376 events during the summer of 2022, an 83% increase over 2021.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), this summer was the third warmest on record. Against this backdrop, customers of EnergyHub’s 60+ utility clients participated in distributed energy resource (DER) programs to keep the lights on, the A/C working, and accelerate the decarbonization of our power system - all without the need for expensive infrastructure investment.

Utility customers deliver grid reliability from coast to coast

Utilities running those nearly 1,400 events shifted 8.5 GWh out of peak times, reinforcing DER programs’ position as a valuable part of the resource stack. This summer alone, six clients called events over 50 MW and one client - Salt River Project - called multiple 130+ MW events.

Erika Diamond, Head of Customer Solutions at EnergyHub, emphasized the importance of flexible load in utility resource planning, saying: “I’m proud of our work with our utility clients and their customers to deliver a reliable grid this summer. This massive resource supports grid resilience and decarbonization goals while customers simultaneously benefit from financial incentives and increased service reliability.”

Keeping the lights on across the West

From August 29th to September 7th, the entire Western electrical grid faced continuous stress due to record-setting heat. After days of exceptionally high demand for electricity, California issued a state-wide emergency SMS alert, asking consumers to prevent blackouts by conserving energy. 

CLICK HERE to read the full press release.

Minnesota cooperative engages customers with dual-track charge plans

BURNABY, BC – October 25, 2022 –– Smart grid technology leader Tantalus Systems (TSX: GRID) today announced that Crow Wing Power is utilizing its TUNet® smart grid system to offer customers a choice of two electric vehicle (EV) charging options. The cooperative electric utility, based in Brainerd, Minnesota, replaced its aging meter network with a Tantalus TUNet smart grid platform for advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and load management applications, paving the way to offer customers their choice of EV charging program.

Implementing TUNet AMI, Tantalus Load Management System, and Tantalus Load Champ, Crow Wing Power offers an attractive time-of-use rate and an even better off-peak rate that automatically shifts charging to overnight. This win-win lets Crow Wing Power manage load more effectively across their distribution system and gives members the ability to choose the option that works for their household. After one year, the participation is roughly 50/50 between the two rate programs—both of which offer a rebate to help defray the cost of equipment installation and work with all types of EVs and Level 2 chargers.

“We worked to offer EV program options for our members to meet their needs while ensuring the cooperative managed new EV load growing within our distribution system,” said Jeff Wohlert, Crow Wing Power’s Member Services Manager. “Our partnership with Tantalus and adoption of its load management solutions is allowing us to drive greater engagement with our current EV-driving customer base and prepare for a future where more and more electric vehicles can be incorporated into our grid.”

CLICK HERE to read the full press release.