Itron, a company aiding utilities and cities in managing energy and water, has partnered with The Mobility House (TMH) to introduce the Fast & Flexible Interconnect (FIX) program. This initiative aims to assist utilities and grid operators in overcoming challenges associated with electric vehicle (EV) fleet electrification.
TMH and Itron have identified interconnection delays and infrastructure constraints as key hurdles. Through this collaboration, the companies will integrate Itron’s Grid Edge Intelligence solutions, including distributed intelligence capabilities, with TMH’s charging and energy management system, ChargePilot, and simulations.
Don Reeves, senior VP of Outcomes at Itron, emphasized the significance of this integration, stating, “By integrating Itron’s Grid Edge Intelligence solutions with The Mobility House’s ChargePilot in a complete package, we enable site-level control with utility infrastructure.”
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The FIX program allows for EV charging that exceeds the capacity of an electric panel board and utility infrastructure within specified parameters. This enables utilities to plan and install components while accommodating charging requests more flexibly.
The program offers three approaches to cater to varying use cases: passive, active, and dynamic. In the passive option, utilities can provide pre-determined grid constraints and use load forecasting to meet the needs of fleet operators and distribution grid operators. Combined with ChargePilot, this approach helps utilities avoid straining the grid by setting a fixed usage limit and adjusting charging schedules accordingly.
The active approach combines firm capacity with flexibility capacity, allowing utilities to adapt the amount of additional electricity available based on real-time data. The dynamic approach focuses on grid awareness, optimization, and flexibility, leveraging Itron’s EV Optimizer solution to discover constraints, measure load limits, and forecast load capacity in real-time.
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Greg Hintler, CEO of North America at TMH, highlighted the benefits of this combined solution, stating, “Our combined solution gives utilities the power to turn electric vehicles into grid assets. With our programmatic approach to addressing distribution constraints, we can create EV infrastructure abundance and ensure a quicker transition to zero emissions transportation for all.”
The FIX program is now available to utilities and grid operators in North America. Itron will showcase this innovative program at the Distributech International show from 27-29 February in Orlando, Florida.
