Press Mention WCNC April 18, 2022
SACE Quoted
Yes, the grid can handle the demand if more people adopt electric vehicles
In this mention
A WCNC VERIFY segment examines whether the electrical grid can handle increased demand from widespread electric vehicle adoption. Stan Cross of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and Randy Wheeless of Duke Energy confirm the grid has sufficient capacity, noting that most EV charging occurs at night when grid demand is low and abundant unused energy is available.
There is an abundance of energy that's unused on the electrical grid at night, when 80% of all EV charging happens. And that's plenty of power to charge the country's EVs if we were all driving one.
Stan Cross
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Full transcript
Yes, the grid can handle the demand if more people adopt electric vehicles
There are claims about the new technology and how these vehicles could impact the energy grid.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Despite declines from recent highs, gas prices are still very high. Now some Americans are thinking about going electric.
But with that curiosity comes new claims.
THE QUESTION
If more people in the U.S. owned an electric vehicle, would the grid be able to handle that demand for electricity?
THE SOURCES
THE ANSWER
Yes, if more people in the U.S. owned an electric vehicles, the grid would be able to handle the demand for electricity.
WHAT WE FOUND
It turns out power companies like Duke Energy are already looking forward and anticipating what's coming down the pike for everything energy-related.
It's no different with electric vehicles.
"We know that we're going to have to invest more in our grid because that's a big load coming," Wheeless said. "We need to invest in our grid to make sure we can handle that in the future."
Wheeless said Duke Energy is putting up solar farms to meet expected demand as more electric cars show up on the road.
"We also have a great nuclear fleet, natural gas, hydro-pump storage," Wheeless said. "We have all kinds of energy sources in North Carolina that we think we can handle that loan when electric vehicles really start to take off."
Both Cross and Wheeless said electric car owners do a majority of their charging at night when there isn't a big stress on the grid anyway.
"There is an abundance of energy that's unused on the electrical grid at night, when 80% of all EV charging happens," Cross said. "And that's plenty of power to charge the country's EVs if we were all driving one."
VERIFY is dedicated to helping the public distinguish between true and false information. The VERIFY team, with help from questions submitted by the audience, tracks the spread of stories or claims that need clarification or correction. Have something you want VERIFIED? Text us at 704-329-3600or visit /verify.