Fleet electrification is among the suite of options available to corporations and governmental entities with sustainability / low carbon / zero carbon goals.  Although interest in transitioning to fleet EVs is increasing and has the potential to provide electric system benefits, a number of barriers to adoption remain, primarily related to infrastructure, system impacts and, of course, cost.  Transitioning to an electric fleet requires understanding of the impact of the fleet on the electric system and any upgrades to the system that are necessary, the charging infrastructure that will be necessary to support the fleet, and the cost associated with system upgrades and infrastructure.  This panel will explore the process of fleet electrification, with particular attention to how system impacts are examined, how system upgrade and infrastructure needs are determined, what intrastate and interstate travel considerations exist, and interoperability issues.  This discussion will provide electric utilities, regulators, and policymakers with an opportunity to consider how best to prepare for large-scale fleet electrification in a manner that will achieve sustainability / low carbon / zero carbon goals and will provide system benefits.

Moderator: Hon. Dave Danner, Washington

Panelists:

Tom Kamantauskas, Senior Director, PepsiCo

Yann Kulp, Co-Founder and Head of Business Development, eIQ mobility

Jay Oliver, Managing Director, Grid Systems Integration, Duke Energy

• Introductions

• Round Table Discussion: It’s been a year: one year later, what have we learned about the outlook for states’ clean energy and energy efficiency programs?

Last summer, we heard panelists’ perspectives on how the state of energy markets may impact the power system, greenhouse gas emissions, and customer demand for clean energy investments. Speakers considered the dynamics at the ground level that utility regulators and program administrators should be paying attention to, particularly in the context of Covid-19 and increasing awareness of racial inequity. We explored how customers’ ability to make clean energy investments had changed; the role of the local workforce in delivering clean energy programs; and equity in the context of utility clean energy programs. Regulators and program administrators speculated on how the experience of the pandemic could change or accelerate trends in what services customers want from their utility and other energy companies. We didn’t claim to be able to predict the future, so what did we get right and how are we surprised? Come prepared to share your perspective on how the pandemic has impacted the clean energy outlook in your state.

• Program Updates:

Center for Partnerships & Innovation - Danielle Sass Byrnett, Director

National Regulatory Research Institute - Tom Stanton, Principal Researcher for Energy and Environment

Washington Report- Jennifer M. Murphy, Director of Energy Policy and Senior Counsel