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By
Joachim Lohse
December 22, 2024
As the demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy grows, PG&E's Flex Connect program is becoming a pivotal solution for accelerating grid connections in California. At least it has the potential. This innovative initiative helps overcome capacity constraints in areas with limited grid resources, especially for high-demand facilities like EV charging stations, data center interconnection, and large electricity users.
The Flex Connect PG&E interconnection program from PG&E addresses a growing issue in California—how to get new electrical loads connected to the grid, particularly in areas where capacity is constrained. EV charging stations are among the major beneficiaries of this program, as many large-scale charging hubs face years of waiting time to connect to the grid due to the lengthy process of upgrading infrastructure. Flex Connect allows these sites to connect to the grid faster by agreeing to limit their energy usage during peak periods, especially in the summer months when grid demand is at its highest.
By optimizing grid resources through flexible load management, Flex Connect enables quicker connections without the need for major grid upgrades. This means that EV charging stations, data centers and other electricity-intensive businesses can begin operations sooner and contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable grid
PG&E's Flex Connect interconnection program offers customers flexible service agreements that allow them to access grid capacity based on real-time conditions, instead of being constrained by traditional planning based on worst-case scenarios. This system provides a much more dynamic approach to energy usage, particularly important for EV charging hubs that need flexibility during peak demand hours.
Example:
Through PG&E’s Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS), the utility can forecast grid conditions and allocate grid capacity on an hourly basis. This allows businesses to stay operational without overloading local grid resources.
Ampcontrol will play a vital role in enabling utility programs like Flex Connect by providing reliable technology that helps balance energy usage and adhere to grid constraints. Ampcontrol's AmpEdge controller is designed to help EV charging stations, data center interconnection and other high-demand sites manage their power usage in real-time, ensuring they stay within grid limits and respond to utility commands.
Over the past years, Ampcontrol has been working with utilities, regulators, and UL on flexible interconnection programs that support the integration of advanced technologies that make EV charging more reliable and accessible. The AmpEdge controller helps facilities manage energy use effectively and has been deployed in California since early 2024.
The Flex Connect program is not limited to EV charging stations but also supports data centers, large distribution facilities, and other heavy electricity users. Ampcontrol has helped companies like WattEV deploy charging infrastructure for electric vehicle fleets and manage their energy usage within grid limits. By utilizing the AmpEdge controller and Ampcontrol Cloud, customers can connect to the grid faster and continue their operations without waiting for costly and time-consuming grid upgrades.
The AmpEdge controller also supports industry standards like Modbus, MQTT, and OCPP, which ensures compatibility with a wide range of energy management systems. This flexibility allows Ampcontrol to support EV charging hubs, bus operators, EV charging program participants and other large facilities in overcoming grid constraints and managing their energy usage effectively.
Looking ahead, PG&E’s interconnection efforts aims to standardize the Flex Connect program to make it available to more customers. The long-term goal is to streamline the process for EV charging stations, data centers and other large customers to connect to the grid quickly and efficiently, without the delays of traditional infrastructure upgrades. This approach will ultimately benefit consumers by ensuring EV charging stations can meet growing demand while helping to manage energy costs.
By facilitating faster grid connections, PG&E's Flex Connect program could help reduce the pressure on the existing grid and make it easier for EV charging stations to expand, providing a cleaner and more sustainable solution for the future of transportation.
PG&E's Flex Connect program is an essential initiative for overcoming grid bottlenecks and enabling the rapid growth of EV charging stations and other large electricity users. Through real-time load management, PG&E offers businesses the ability to access grid capacity faster while reducing strain on the system. Partners like Ampcontrol will play a key role in making this technology accessible and reliable, ensuring that businesses can meet their energy needs while contributing to a cleaner, more sustainable grid.
As the EV charging market grows, Flex Connect will become an increasingly important tool in facilitating faster connections and reducing infrastructure delays, helping California stay on track with its clean energy goals.
Ampcontrol is a cloud-based software that seamlessly connects to charging networks, vehicles, fleet systems, and other software systems. No hardware needed, just a one-time integration.
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