Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) completed 14 technology demonstration projects as part of its Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC), which was mandated by California state utility regulators in 2013.

The latest projects were completed in 2016 and were designed to evaluate and validate technologies to help PG&E meet objectives such as enabling continued growth of distributed energy resources (DERs) and modernizing the grid.

The projects are highlighted in PG&E's recently filed EPIC annual report, available here. The projects covered a spectrum of technologies that have the potential to make the electric grid safer, more reliable, and more affordable for customers. Among the technologies are:

Direct Current Fast Charge (DCFC) Mapping: Identified optimal locations within PG&E’s service area for DCFC Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers based on factors such as cost, available infrastructure, traffic patterns, and site host and driver preference. DCFCs enable electric vehicles to recharge up to 80% in 30 minutes or less, critical for supporting growth of EVs.

The team identified more than 14,000 individual potential charger host sites, which were developed into an interactive online map that visualizes the optimal DCFC locations in PG&E’s territory. Additionally, the project developed best practice guidelines for siting DCFCs, which may further encourage EV adoption by drivers, site hosts, and developers.

Energy Storage for Market Operations: PG&E tested how large-scale battery storage systems perform in the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) market, helping to inform the conversation about energy storage in California.

PG&E’s 2 megawatt (MW) Vaca-Dixon and 4 MW Yerba Buena battery storage systems provided energy and ancillary services in CAISO markets. The Vaca-Dixon system was the first battery storage resource in California to participate in the market. The Yerba Buena system, in San Jose, was the first battery storage resource to participate in the market and serve a reliability function supporting PG&E customers in the event of a disturbance or outage.

Close Proximity Switching: PG&E collaborated with robotic tool vendors to design and demonstrate a robotic device in both a lab and field setting that allows workers to more safely operate certain underground equipment that have a potential risk of failure.

The devices allow the worker to operate these switches from about 25 feet away, rather than standing over the enclosure as with other tool approaches. This provided a greater safety clearance for the operator. It also made monitoring pedestrian activity in the area easier, better protecting employees and the public in case of switch failure.

To date, PG&E has launched 34 EPIC projects, including the 14 projects that closed in 2016.