FortisBC Inc. (FortisBC) Application for a Certificate of Public ...

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Response:
FortisBC Inc. (FortisBC or the Company)
Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity
for the Advanced Metering Infrastructure Project
Response to British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC or the Commission)
Information Request (IR) No. 1
Submission Date:
October 5, 2012
Page 276
111.4.1 If yes, are there approaches to promote recharging of vehicles
during off-peak periods that do not require AMI infrastructure?
Please describe.
Technology available in today’s electric vehicle charging stations allows for “economy charging”
without the assistance of AMI networks. If customers purchase charging stations with Time-of-
Use metering installed on the EV circuit, the charging station can be configured to charge only
when the power rates are at their lowest. Economy charging requires no action, other than
plugging in the electric vehicle. At least two vendors offer charging equipment with this
functionality.
112.0 Reference: Project Environment
Response:
Exhibit No. B-1, Tab 8.0, Section 8.1, p. 125
Market Penetration in North America
“According to a new report from Pike Research, unit shipments of smart meters in North
America were 12.4 million in 2011 and will decline to 7.2 million by 2013, a 42% drop
over just 2 years. After 2014, they will begin a gradual rise through the end of the
decade.”
112.1 Provide the current market penetration of smart meters in North America.
According to Berg Insights (http://www.berginsight.com/ReportPDF/ProductSheet/bi-smseries2ps.pdf),
“North America has the world’s highest penetration of automatic meter reading,
exceeding 50 percent”.
IDC Energy Insights (http://www.idc-ei.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS22778411 ) forecasts
that by 2015, North American smart meter deployments will reach 88 million, representing a
penetration rate of 51.4%.