Music, pictures and video are common uses for cloud storage. Now the province of BC is adapting the cloud paradigm to collect the data of over 450 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. With statistics on when, where and for how long EVs are charging, decision makers with the province and at BC Hydro can better plan how to provide the energy for this clean mode of transportation while reducing the need for expensive infrastructure and power generation upgrades.
UBC installed twenty charging stations to support the adoption of EV’s by the campus community and by UBC’s own fleet, whilst simultaneously providing infrastructure and data for research and teaching. ECE’s Fred Kaiser building houses the charging stations specifically designated for research and experimentation. The network of charging stations opens up the possibilities, not only for data collection, but also for managing the additional energy demand as a part of other research projects in: load management, energy storage and renewable power generation. The EV charging station is one more piece in the puzzle of the emerging energy ecosystem.
The EV cloud initiative is being led by Powertech with the participation of UBC and other province-wide and campus level infrastructures.
Learn More:
Electrifying campus drivers, UBC New, June 10, 2013
Find the nearest charging station at ChargePoint