The Government of Canada announced today it has invested $1,119,000 CAD ($879,000 USD) for Nova Scotia Power to create what it calls a “cost-effective energy solutions for an electric vehicle (EV) smart grid–integrated system.”
The pilot project “will demonstrate and assess smart charging EV solutions and technologies for the potential to make more efficient use of renewable power sources and reduce the demand on current electricity infrastructure, such as power lines,” explains the federal government.
“We are providing greener options for Canadians to get where they need to go. This is how we get to net zero by 2050,” said Seamus O’Regan Jr., Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, in a statement.
The overall goal of these technologies is to let EVs charge and discharge during peak times of demand and ease pressure off the grid. Over 200 participants will be recruited for the pilot.
“We know customers want clean, affordable, reliable energy for their homes and businesses, and we are finding innovative ways to meet that demand. Through our electric vehicle smart charging pilot we will test these technologies to learn how they can benefit all customers, creating clean, smarter options without changing a person’s driving habits,” added Dave Landrigan, VP Commercial, Nova Scotia Power.
Canada will pour $150 million CAD in 2021-22 for zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure, while add $287 million CAD in funding for ZEV purchase incentives, which it says will make EVs “more affordable for Canadians.”
Tesla recently launched the Standard Range Model Y in Canada, but the starting price does not qualify for the federal government’s $5,000 CAD rebate program, unlike the Model 3.
