BC Hydro looks to expand the use of electric vehicles through a project that’s unique in Canada.
According to Hydro, the pilot project is for medium and heavy-duty vehicles, with the goal of pushing electricity back to the grid from an electric vehicle battery by using vehicle-to-grid technology.
The technology can also be used to bring power to schools, community centres, and hospitals during natural disasters.
President and CEO of BC Hydro Chris O’Reilly says the average car is parked 95 percent of the time.
“With the evolution of technology solutions like vehicle-to-grid, stationary vehicles hold the potential to become mobile batteries, powered by clean and affordable electricity,” says O’Reilly.
Hydro adds that this project is not only the first one in BC, but also the first in Canada, with hopes that it will mobilize medium-sized vehicles in a faster and cleaner way.
While vehicle-to-grid technology has proven to be successful in the US and Europe, it’s still in the trial stage in Canada.
