18,000 Devices Could Measure Impact of
Electric Vehicles
JACKSON,
Mich., Oct. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S.
Department of Energy today selected Consumers Energy to receive a
nearly $20 million financial
assistance award to deploy new technology and provide real-time
visibility into the grid and help integrate electric vehicles into
Michigan's electric grid. The
commitment will be matched by $20
million from Consumers Energy as it powers Michigan's EV transformation.
Consumers Energy will use the nearly $40
million to add artificial intelligence-powered modules to
18,000 electric meters that are used by Michigan EV owners,
providing real-time data analytics and predictions to better
understand the impact these vehicles have on the electric grid.
"Consumers Energy is building a stronger grid and a smarter one
that will seamlessly power the next generation of clean vehicles,"
said Lauren Snyder, Consumers
Energy's vice president of customer experience. "This allows us to
quickly put the latest in technology to work, as we accommodate
growing numbers of EVs parked in driveways across our state."
The new federal funding comes through the U.S. Department of
Energy's Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP)
Program, which supports the modernization of the nation's electric
grid.
Consumers Energy is partnering with AI technology company
Utilidata to deploy custom NVIDIA modules, bringing cutting
edge AI capabilities to the electric grid. Utilidata manufactures
in Michigan at their innovation
lab in Ann Arbor and in
collaboration with Brooks Utility Products in
Novi.
The effort will place over half of the devices in economically
disadvantaged communities, enabling Consumers Energy to better
understand EV adoption and customize customer programs to meet
those communities' needs.
Consumers Energy also is partnering with General Motors, the
University of Michigan Transportation
Research Institute, the Electric Power Research Institute and
others to deploy AI-enabled grid-edge analytics.
"Utilidata is proud to expand our presence in Michigan by partnering with industry leader
Consumers Energy," said Utilidata President and Chief Operating
Officer Jess Melanson. "Utilidata's
distributed AI technology will equip Consumers Energy with the
tools needed to integrate more distributed energy resources and
ensure the electric grid is efficient and reliable for their
customers."
Consumers Energy is making EV ownership more affordable and
convenient wherever people drive their vehicles in Michigan. Electric vehicles will be powered by
an electric grid that is moving fast to become carbon neutral.
Consumers Energy is Michigan's
largest energy provider, providing natural gas and/or electricity
to 6.8 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower
Peninsula counties. Consumers Energy's Clean Energy Plan calls for
eliminating coal as an energy source in 2025, achieving net-zero
carbon emissions and meeting 90% of customers' energy needs through
clean sources, including wind and solar.
For more information about Consumers Energy, go to
ConsumersEnergy.com.
Check out Consumers Energy on Social Media
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SOURCE Consumers Energy