Electrify America (EA) Announces EV Charging Network Backed by 100% Renewable Energy

EA recently announced it has entered into a 15-year virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with developer Terra-Gen to build a solar photovoltaic renewable energy generation project in San Bernardino County, California called Electrify America Solar Glow.

The new solar project is expected to generate 75 Megawatts (MW) at peak solar capacity or an estimated annual production of 225,000 MWh. It is projected to produce enough 100% renewable energy annually to more than offset the energy currently delivered on an annualized basis to Electrify America’s customers charging on its extensive network. The solar project is targeted to be operational by mid-2023.

In becoming the largest open network in North America to sign on to a VPPA, EA will be supporting the key sustainability goal of “additionality,” meaning that this arrangement would result in new, additional renewable energy generation.

EA is purchasing and retiring all bundled environmental certificates associated with the new solar project over a 15-year period, shifting away from the business-as-usual approach of buying environmental certificates from a third-party supplier on an unbundled basis, which does less to support additional renewable energy generation.

EA’s first solar project in the Southern California Mojave Desert may be expanded at the option of Terra-Gen to include a co-located battery energy storage system to further increase the delivery of renewable energy to the grid during times when more costly – and often more polluting – peaking power plants may be used to meet customer needs. The potential use of a co-located battery energy storage system at the facility would add to Electrify America’s ongoing effort of deploying over 30 MW of co-located behind-the-meter energy storage systems at charging stations across the U.S. This ongoing investment from EA is already decreasing the carbon profile and potential emissions associated with the electricity generation that powers the company’s charging network.

Electrify America Solar Glow 1 - Project Details

Location: San Bernardino County, CA
Developer: Terra-Gen
Maximum Capacity: 75MW
Estimated Annual Production: 225,000 MWh
Timeline: Groundbreaking – Late 2022 | Target Operation Date – Summer 2023
Immediate Impact

Although the new solar facility will not be online until mid-2023, EA’s charging network is already backed by 100% renewable energy effective April 2022 through the purchase of environmental certificates from existing renewable generation.

In addition, EA has entered into an interim VPPA, effective October 2022, with Terra-Gen to support Terra-Gen’s existing Solar Energy Generating Systems (SEGS) IX solar thermal plant until the adjacent new solar photovoltaic facility in San Bernardino County is fully operational.

EA will receive the bundled environmental certificates and purchase renewable energy from SEGS IX, once part of the largest solar thermal energy generating facility in the world when completed in 1990 and also the world’s longest-operating solar thermal facility.

These 100% renewable energy commitments address greenhouse gas emissions for all energy delivered to our customers, and amount to an estimated 2 million metric tons in avoided CO2 emissions over 15 years - comparable to the carbon sequestered by planting nearly 40 million trees. That is kicking @$$ and taking names on the upstream side of the EV revolution equation. Way to go EA!!!

Wayne

 

Electrify America and Electrify Canada Hyper-Fast and Ultra-Fast Nomenclature to Simplify Charging EVs

Electrify America also introduces new Balanced power technology chargers that optimize energy distribution to vehicles.

Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – Sep. 8, 2022

Electrify America and Electrify Canada announced today they will establish two power names of Hyper-Fast for 350 kilowatt (kW) chargers and Ultra-Fast for 150 kilowatt chargers in an effort to simplify the charging experience for both new and existing electric vehicle (EV) customers. The companies are making this new naming convention available to all charging providers to help set a universal standard.

The Hyper-Fast and Ultra-Fast names will appear on newly redesigned labels on chargers across the Electrify America and Electrify Canada networks, to convey available charge power in a simple, easy-to-understand way. The companies pioneered the availability of the fastest charging speeds available today at up to 150kW and 350kW, which have become a standard in the industry for publicly available charging.

Electrify America White Paper on new labels and Balance power

The new labels will feature two maximum power descriptions with bold, eye-catching colors for easier recognition:

Hyper-Fast: Indicates power delivery of up to 350kW, which can provide about 20 miles of driving range per minute of charging depending on the EV’s charging capability. (Green label & three bolt icons):

Ultra-Fast: Indicates power delivery of up to 150kW, which can provide about 9 miles of driving range per minute of charging depending on the EV’s charging capability. (Teal label & two bolt icons)

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After extensive user research and input conducted by Electrify America, a need to simply the terminology emerged with the research guiding the new label design. As a reflection of those insights gathered, the new labels now include connector icons that match the vehicle’s charging port as well as lightning bolts that signify the charger’s maximum power. More lightning bolts represent higher available kilowatts and therefore, potentially faster charging speeds depending on the capability of the EV.

Electrify America and Electrify Canada are rolling out the new naming convention and labels at all existing charging stations. Hyper-Fast and Ultra-Fast names and labels will also be added to its all-new next-generation chargers at new and existing charging stations to help reduce the complexity of picking the right charger.

Also being added for clarity is a more intuitive label to guide membership payment, with a callout to “tap your phone here to use membership” on the NFC reader and a convenient QR Code for drivers to instantly access Electrify America and Electrify Canada educational material on electric vehicle charging and charging best practices.

Electrify America introduces Balanced power technology

Electrify America is also adding Balanced chargers to its charging network. This technology will enable all “Balanced” Electrify America chargers to be capable of delivering 350 kilowatts, meaning drivers will no longer need to search for a dedicated Hyper-Fast 350kW charger at a charging station to leverage those capabilities.

Balanced chargers are typically located side-by-side and share a Power Cabinet. When a charger is Balanced, it can be ready to supply up to 150 kW of Ultra-Fast charging for vehicles capable of accepting this much power, and can provide up to Hyper-Fast 350kW to capable vehicles when the adjacent charger is unused.

This Balanced technology distributes power amongst EVs during charging, as different EVs have different maximum charging limits.

For example, if two EVs are charging at the same time, each on Balanced chargers, but the first EV requires a much lower level of power, the chargers will Balance the energy dispensed to provide the maximum level of charging power that the lower-power vehicle will accept. At the same time, the second charger may allocate the remaining power to a second, higher-powered EV at the output that it can accept.

Electrify America chargers offering this feature will include a Balanced designation on the label along with the Hyper-Fast 350kW indicator, so drivers can easily recognize this technology. Newly installed 350kW Electrify America chargers will feature Balanced charging, while some existing chargers, especially those on highways, will continue to offer dedicated 350kW power for drivers of EVs capable of charging at the highest speeds.

Electrify America and Electrify Canada will begin to deploy the new labels this fall. The Balanced power technology will begin to appear at Electrify America’s new charging stations this fall and in 2023 on the Electrify Canada network.

I do wish Electrify America had come up with a different color scheme to differentiate the 150s from the 350s. Arriving at a group of chargers with a low SOC in a hyper charge performance capable vehicle like the Porsche Taycan almost demands a 350 KW and trying to figure out which of the bank of chargers are 350 KW units requires a closeup drive by.

 

Electrify America - First Application of Solar to Megawatt-Level Energy Storage

Electrify America DCFC in station in Baker, California has expanded from eight to twelve chargers and now includes megawatt battery storage!

Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – October 19, 2022

Electrify America DCFC in Baker CA.


Charging the 2022 Porsche Taycan at the Baker, CA DCFC late last year.​

Electrify America unveiled its first application of a MW level battery energy storage system for EVcharging stations, building upon the company’s existing BESS installations at over 150 stations across the U.S., including more than 100 in California.

The MW-level energy storage system combined with a solar canopy goes a step further than Electrify America’s existing BESS in managing energy costs and reducing stress on the grid by acting as a buffer to supplement power to charging stations when local utilities limit the amount of power a station can draw from the grid. This application leverages energy storage and solar as a ‘non-wires alternative’ in lieu of relying on additional utility ‘wired’ infrastructure. Approaches like this will become critical to expand EV charging into more remote areas where utilities may not be able to deliver the capacity needed to install or expand a high speed DCFC infrastructure.

Electrify America selected the Baker station for the first deployment of the MW-level energy storage system because of its remote location and its utility capacity constraints. The integration of the roughly 1.5 MW/3 MWh energy storage system with 66 kW of generation potential from the solar canopy, coupled with sophisticated control technology, is Electrify America’s comprehensive solution for adding additional power to the station.

This energy storage adds to the company’s > 30 MWs of installed energy storage at over 150 EA charging locations. In California, over 50 charging stations coupled with energy storage constitute the largest operating Virtual Power Plant (VPP) of its kind shifting the use of on-peak energy to lower carbon intensity off-peak hours California.

The expansion at Baker added four new individual chargers, bringing the total to twelve. The new chargers feature the latest charger innovations and design. They have some of the fastest charging speeds available today at up to 350 KW, depending on the charger. The chargers will feature the previously reported – see above, new labels help customers choose the right charger.

Customers are already experiencing the benefits of the newly installed energy storage system and charger expansion. Charging load at the site has already surpassed 1 megawatt of peak charging demand, with all that MW-level load at various times being served by just the energy storage system and solar canopy.

The EA MW level Li-Ion battery storage hardware.​

The Baker station was also the first to feature other Electrify America innovations like solar canopies, which offer shelter from the elements while helping to store additional renewable energy to help support charging and operations.

 

Electrify America's Brand-Neutral Marketing Campaign "Electric Vehicles Are Worth Watching" and Driving

Anything and everything helps.

Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – Nov. 2, 2022

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The campaign called “As Seen on EV” uses popular streaming TV genres as inspiration to educate consumers and encourage EV adoption

Electrify America just launched a new brand-neutral marketing campaign titled “As Seen on EV.”

Modeled after popular streaming television content, “As Seen on EV” aims to educate on and shift common misperceptions about EV ownership like driving range and charging access by highlighting the positive realities of living with an EV. Spanning TV genres from dramas and reality-dating shows to telenovela, the campaign showcases the benefits of driving electric by making EVs the star of the show. At launch, three video ads will be available with additional videos to be released later in the campaign.

Video ads or “shows” in the campaign include:

• Reality dating show theme – Highlights EV attributes of sporty styling and quiet driving along with the ability to charge an EV at home or on the road
  
  
• Historical drama theme – Spotlights the instant torque and fast acceleration that EVs provide along with generally lower routine maintenance requirements than gas-power vehicles
  
  
• Western theme – Showcases range capability and interesting features only found in EVs like the trunk in the front or “frunk”
  
  
• Telenovela theme – Informs viewers that EVs have zero tailpipe emissions. (Released later in the campaign)
  
  
• Courtroom drama – Focuses on the wide variety of models and styles of electric vehicles to suit different needs. (Released later in the campaign)

The campaign’s website – SeenOnEV – is now live with additional content to help further learning about EVs and their benefits. The multifaceted campaign is part of Electrify America’s investment to not only expand zero emission vehicles (ZEV) infrastructure and availability, but also to help educate consumers about ZEVs during this major shift to electric transportation.

“As Seen on EV” content will also be available on the YouTube channel As Seen On EV. A digital toolkit- SeenOnEV - toolkit with shareable content is available for those who want to help spread the word about the benefits of driving EV.

Thrift and Frugality

Love is Electric

Old Dog New Truck

 

Hi Litesong:

A Taycan owner does not have to worry about purchasing a pair of binoculars.

Wayne

 

Electrify America Increases Prices

Beginning today, March 6, 2023, they are increasing their per-kilowatt-hour (kWh) and per-minute pricing nationwide.

As a Pass member, here’s what you can expect to see on March 6, 2023:

• The price per-kWh will increase from $0.43 to $0.48
• The price per-minute will increase from $0.16 to $0.19 for up to 90 kW, or $0.32 to $0.37 for up to 350 kW

New Price per KWh

Pass -- $0.48/KWh
Pass+ -- $0.36/KWh

New Price per min

1 to 90 KW

Pass $0.19/min
Pass+ $0.15/min

1-350 KW

Pass $0.37/min
Pass+ $0.29/min

It always pays to upgrade to a Pass+ membership at $4 as the 25% savings pays for itself on the first charge.

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In other news, TravelCenters of America announced an agreement with Electrify America to offer electric vehicle charging at select TA/Petro locations with the first stations planned to be deployed in 2023.

With a goal of installing approximately 1,000 individual chargers at 200 locations along major highways over five years, TA will purchase Electrify America’s DCFCers. Electrify America will install, operate and maintain the charging stations at TA/Petro locations, through its Electrify Commercial business unit. Electrify America will manage the entire process to design and develop the charging stations – obtaining permitting approvals, provide warranty and 24/7 support services, and conduct onsite maintenance. TA will be included on the Electrify America charging network, allowing customers to access and pay for charging through the Electrify America app.

The network of charging stations will be open to almost all brands of EV vehicles and can deliver up to 350 kW to capable vehicles – some of the fastest charging speeds commercially available. The new charging stations help to provide range confidence to EV motorists traveling long distances by expanding access to hyper-fast charging, exemplifying TA’s commitment to providing accessible and reliable chargers to allow EV motorists stay on the go.

TA’s site amenities and Electrify America’s abilities offer unique solutions to EV drivers, including convenient locations along major highways and close to exits, access to Wi-Fi at TA locations, modern restrooms, hyper-fast charging speeds up to 350 kW for capable vehicles, seamless Plug & Charge payment technology, and operations backed by 24/7 customer support and a 24/7 network operations center.

As of today, Electrify America has 800 DCFC locations with 3,479 active DCFC charging stations in the U.S.

 

Hi Bill:

For those not on the freebie program, Tesla really hits its owners hard anytime while on-peak.

Tesla Supercharger many Southern California Charge Rates

12:00 AM and 04:00 AM - $0.21/KWh
04:00 AM until 08:00 AM - $0.36 per KWh
08:00 AM until 08:00 PM - $0.65 per KWh
08:00 PM until 12:00 AM - $0.65 per KWh

Tesla Supercharger some Central California Charge Rates

12:00 AM and 04:00 AM - $0.33/KWh
04:00 AM until 08:00 AM - $0.21 per KWh
08:00 AM until 09:00 PM - $0.53 per KWh
09:00 PM until 12:00 AM - $0.33 per KWh

Electrify America California Charge Rates

$0.36/KWh

Wayne

 

Hi Bill:

Remember that bZ4X charge on an EA in Royse City, TX?

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With the new $0.29/min DCFC rate, a 5 to 80% price of $9.86.

I am not sure how much the Tesla rates are in TX but I have seen just $0.08 to $0.10/KWh at night with those. That would be extremely inexpensive to cross from the NM/TX border all the way to FL via GA.

Wayne

 

Seems like Gasbuddy better get started on updating their app, to help EV owners find the best rates.

 

Hi Mike:

Great point! I use Gasbuddy all the time and with all of these different electricity charging rates - especially from Tesla Superchargers, we need something like that!

Wayne

 

Electrify America Announces Construction Start to Electrify America Solar Glow 1

Electrify America announced the official groundbreaking of Electrify America Solar Glow 1, a new solar photovoltaic renewable energy generation project in San Bernardino County, CA, announced last year. Electrify America Solar Glow 1 is the result of a 15-year virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with developer Terra-Gen.

This investment is expected to generate 75 Megawatts (MW) at peak solar capacity, or an estimated annual production of 225,000 Megawatt hours.

While the new solar facility is not expected to be online until later this summer, all energy delivered to customers on Electrify America’s coast-to-coast public, ultra-fast DC charging network is already backed by 100% renewable energy. Through the company’s purchase of environmental certificates and an interim VPPA with Terra-Gen’s existing Solar Energy Generating Systems (SEGS) IX solar thermal plant, Electrify America has committed to a net-zero carbon footprint for energy delivered to drivers charging on its network.

In aggregate, these commitments address Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions for all energy delivered to Electrify America’s customers charging on its network. The investment in Electrify America Solar Glow 1 should result in an estimated 2 million metric tons in avoided CO2 emissions over 15 years - comparable to the carbon sequestered by planting nearly 40 million trees.

 

Electrify America Opens its First Electric Vehicle Charging Station in Hawaii

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Electrify America just opened its first electric vehicle charging station in Pearl City, Hawaii. The new charging station on Oahu brings Electrify America’s network presence to 47 states plus the District of Columbia, and will help provide an ultra-fast charging solution for electric vehicles (EV) drivers on the island. We are still waiting for ND to be added.

The new station features four 150 KW chargers. While visiting the station, EV drivers can pay by credit or debit card, or by using the Electrify America mobile app, which allows drivers to easily locate a station, initiate a charge and check charging session progress from their phones for a seamless experience from start to finish.

Wayne