TRANSPORTATION

Transportation includes EVs and so much more.

Bringing together solar and other clean resources with vehicles, charging stations, and other vehicle-grid-integration technology will be critical to realize the potential of carbon-free electric mobility.

Learn more from these recently published relevant resources. 

As we plan for a lower-carbon society, reducing the climate impact of transportation is paramount. The transportation sector is the United States’ largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions producing nearly 30% of total emissions. Within the transportation sector about 80% of emissions come from light, medium, and heavy-duty vehicles. Electric vehicles are key to reducing emissions nationwide. In addition to their carbon reduction potential, electric vehicles can lower transportation costs and improve local air quality.

The benefits of electric vehicles also come with new challenges. As more and more low and no-carbon transportation technologies enter the market, increased electric load will require additional investments in the distribution system and will impact the bulk power system as load profiles change. Vehicle electrification initiatives require proactive, system-wide planning that looks beyond the transportation sector. As we electrify our vehicles, we must ensure that the electricity serving this new load is low-carbon or carbon-free in order to meet our climate goals.

SEPA provides load modeling forecasts, technical analysis, strategic guidance, general best practices, and stakeholder-specific recommendations. Through these efforts, SEPA helps the industry understand and plan for growth in electric demand, create customer programs, and coordinate across diverse stakeholder groups. Join SEPA’s electric vehicle working group to connect with other experts.