6. Home Charging Equipment Installation Streamlining
Issues relating to charging installation streamlining are included within the scope of this proceeding (Scoping Memo at 6). Installation streamlining issues are prioritized as the current customer experience in establishing electric charging service presents a potential barrier to the widespread use of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles.
On March 16, 2010, the Commission, in collaboration with the California Air Resources Board and the California Energy Commission, held a Joint Energy Agency workshop entitled "Electric Vehicle Workshop: Accelerating the Installation of Home Charging Equipment." The purpose of the workshop was to identify steps the State Legislature, the Commission, and other state regulatory agencies and local governments can take to streamline single-user residential charging installations.
Workshop panelists included representatives from automakers, charging equipment manufactures, charging equipment installers, local government officials, California Department of Housing and Community Development officials, large municipal utilities and investor-owned utilities. Panelists made a number of recommendations to the Commission, the State, and local governments to improve the current customer experience related to establishing service.
The Scoping Memo indicated the role of the Commission with respect to charging infrastructure streamlining issues is unclear. (Scoping Memo at 6.) In support of this position, workshop panelists indicated installation streamlining is a core competency of local jurisdictions, but that utilities the Commission regulates have a role to play. (March 16, 2010 RT 39.)
Workshop panelists suggested utilities would benefit from early identification of who is purchasing electric vehicles to anticipate whether the distribution system is adequate, provided this information-sharing did not violate customer privacy. (March 16, 2010 RT 156.) To address this issue, the Commission suggested regulated utilities could develop jointly with automakers a formalized notification process to quickly identify charging locations at the time of plug-in electric vehicle purchase. To ensure service reliability at
customer-premise installations, and to ensure customer satisfaction, utilities, automakers, and electric vehicle service providers have a shared incentive to develop customer plans to support early identification of charging locations and voltages. Section 4.3.3 herein clarifies the Commission's authority to set terms of notification through customer applications for service. The Commission's authority to set terms of notification via customer applications should complement ongoing notification processes development through existing partnerships.
Further, March 16 workshop panelists observed that the charging equipment installation time itself is de minimis; the installation delay frequently arises in the hand-off of responsibility from one participant in the process to another; i.e., from the customer to the automaker, to the equipment installer, to the local utility, to the local government permitting and inspection official
(March 16, 2010 RT 18). Some automakers appear to be addressing this challenge by selecting charging equipment installation companies that will oversee these handoffs.
The Commission again underscores its support for efforts on the part of trade alliances, regional and local governments, utilities, and industry actors to partner and work in parallel to the Commission rulemaking process toward common sets of best practices to prepare for the deployment and widespread use of plug-in electric vehicles. The Commission has authorized regulated-utility funding to participate in plug-in electric vehicle readiness efforts through its general rate case authorization and in certain program authorizations. The Commission intends to continue its consideration in Phase 2 of the proceeding of installation streamlining as part of a broader effort to prepare for the deployment of plug-in electric vehicles at the end of this year (2010).
