SEPTEMBER 2020 Solar Power + Electric Vehicle Charging CAPTURING SYNERGIES IN MINNESOTA PREPARED BY THE GREAT PLAINS INSTITUTE Solar Power + Electric Vehicle Charging: Capturing Synergies in Minnesota Acknowledgements MINNESOTA SOLAR ENERGY INNOVATION NETWORK (SEIN) TEAM Led by the Great Plains Institute (GPI), a Minnesota team of agencies, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), utilities, cities, and solar and EV stakeholders (the Minnesota SEIN Team) investigated the market potential, both opportunities and barriers, of EV charging infrastructure synchronized with solar energy production as a means of accelerating the EV market and expanding solar deployment. The initiative was part of the Solar Energy Innovation Network (SEIN), a national effort led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) that works with multi-stakeholder teams to research solutions to challenges associated with solar energy adoption. This project would not have been possible without the substantial contribution of the following organizations and individuals: • Michelle Gransee, Minnesota Department of Commerce, State Energy Office • Jordan Wente, Minnesota Department of Administration, Office of Enterprise Sustainability • Cameron Bailey, Metropolitan Council, Community Development Division • Jeff Freeman, Metro Transit • Matthew Blackler, ZEF Energy • Elizabeth Lucente, Minnesota Solar Energy Industry Association • Megan Hoye, Center for Energy and Environment • Eric Maurer, Xcel Energy • Rebecca Place, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency • Tracy Hodel, City of St. Cloud • Kevin Bright, City of Rochester • Stacy Miller, City of Minneapolis The GPI team leading the project included: Brian Ross, Katelyn Bocklund, Matthew Prorok, Dane McFarlane, Abby Finis, Brendan Jordan, Jenna Greene, Kristoffer Acuña The Minnesota SEIN team would like to thank SEIN staff from NREL and the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) for their input and guidance, including: • Eric Lockhart, NREL • Emma Elgqvist, NREL • Anthony Teixeira, RMI This work was authored by the Great Plains Institute under Subcontract No. AHQ-8- 82081-01 as part of the Solar Energy Innovation Network, a collaborative research effort administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory under Contract No. DE- AC36-08GO28308 funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Solar Energy Technologies Office. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC, the DOE, or the U.S. Government. ii Contents Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................... ii Minnesota Solar Energy Innovation Network (SEIN) Team .................................... ii Executive Summary ...................................................................................................... 1 The Solar+Electric Vehicle Opportunity .................................................................. 2 Solar Energy Innovation Network ............................................................................ 2 Key Findings .............................................................................................................. 3 Recommendations for Market Transformation ....................................................... 4 Private Sector Initiatives .......................................................................................... 4 Local Government Actions ....................................................................................... 5 Utility Programs and Rates ...................................................................................... 5 Public Policy and Programs ..................................................................................... 6 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 7 Why Solar+EV? .......................................................................................................... 7 Need for Non-Home Charging .................................................................................. 8 The Potential Solar Energy Contribution ................................................................ 10 The SEIN Solar+EV Project ..................................................................................... 11 Assessing the Solar+EV Value Proposition .......................................................... 11 Minnesota Context for Solar and Electric Vehicle Deployment ............................... 13 Minnesota’s Solar and EV Policy Goals ................................................................. 14 Solar-Specific Goals .............................................................................................. 14 EV-Specific Goals .................................................................................................. 14 Stakeholder/customer context ............................................................................... 15 Project Stakeholder Engagement .......................................................................... 15 Additional Stakeholder and Market Participant Input .............................................. 16 Market status ........................................................................................................... 18 State of the EV Market........................................................................................... 18 State of the Solar Energy Market ........................................................................... 21 Distributed Energy Resources and the Distribution Grid ........................................ 24 Solar+EV Use Cases ................................................................................................... 25 Understanding Value Propositions ........................................................................ 25 Utility Distribution Grid Value Proposition............................................................... 26 iii Solar Power + Electric Vehicle Charging: Capturing Synergies in Minnesota Bulk Power System Value Proposition ................................................................... 27 Site Owner Value Proposition ................................................................................ 28 Site Owner Value Proposition as Priority .............................................................. 29 Solar+EV Methods and Technologies .................................................................... 29 Developing the Use Cases ...................................................................................... 30 Prioritizing Use Cases for Market Transformation .................................................. 33 Workplace And Public Parking Charging .............................................................. 34 Workplace Charging .............................................................................................. 35 Public Parking Facilities ......................................................................................... 37 Priority Market Transformation Use Cases ............................................................... 39 Market for Workplace Charging.............................................................................. 39 Modeling Site Owner Value Proposition ................................................................ 42 Managed Electric Vehicle Charging ....................................................................... 43 Solar Synchronized Management .......................................................................... 43 Piloting Solar Synchronization ............................................................................... 44 Pilot Background ................................................................................................... 46 Commute Shed and Charging Needs .................................................................... 48 Site Owner Solar+EV Value Proposition ................................................................ 49 Modeling Background ............................................................................................ 49 Modeling Results ................................................................................................... 51 Market Transformation Recommendations ............................................................... 56 Barriers to Deployment .......................................................................................... 56 Private Sector Initiatives ......................................................................................... 57 Tools or Initiatives .................................................................................................. 58 Local Government Initiatives .................................................................................. 58 Tools or Initiatives .................................................................................................. 59 Utility Rates and Programs ..................................................................................... 60 Tools or Initiatives .................................................................................................. 61 State Policy and Programs ..................................................................................... 62 Tools or Initiatives .................................................................................................. 62 Appendix A. Engaging Stakeholder and Market Participants