To help utilities and industry stakeholders navigate the issues of increased electric vehicle (EV) adoption, the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) has launched a new Transportation Electrification program, which will conduct research and bring together stakeholders to find solutions.
As part of the initiative, SEPA has tapped Erika Myers to serve as the newly created principal of transportation electrification. Myers brings over 11 years of experience working on EVs and over 16 years in the clean energy industry. She most recently served as director of research at SEPA.
“Electric vehicles represent a huge opportunity – as well as a large risk – to our electric utility members. Through strategic planning, we can mitigate the potential impacts of large-scale electric vehicle deployment and leverage these vehicles as grid assets,” says Myers. “I am thrilled to be leading this new Transportation Electrification pathway as the industry continues to evolve at a blindingly rapid pace.”
SEPA is working to bring utilities, regulators, automotive sector representatives, charging infrastructure providers, and other stakeholders together to discuss and find solutions to issues such as distribution planning challenges, inadequate charging infrastructure and higher rates for consumers.
SEPA has also expanded its membership to include new voices: Ford Motor Co. recently became a SEPA member, along with other notable transportation electrification players over the past six months, including Zappyride, Saascharge, ChargingLedger, Quanta Technology, C2 Group, KCI Technologies, D+R International, AutoGrid Systems, Hubject, ThinkEco, EV Connect, and EZ-EV.
“As we chart our course for the future, electrification will be an important part of our vehicle lineup,” says Steve Henderson, manager of vehicle electrification and policy at Ford. “By joining SEPA, we will be able to work together to support a growing vehicle-grid integration services market.”
More on SEPA’s Transportation Electrification pathway can be found here.
