Abstract

Electric vehicles (EVs) are proliferating rapidly in California, with now over 1.8 million operating in the state. Battery charging loads can stress local electricity distribution feeders, particularly in the early evening when power use typically peaks. Many EVs now, and many more in the future will have bidirectional or vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capability, meaning their large battery packs can be discharged for a variety of uses—from providing backup power to homes and businesses to providing a larger set of grid services including supporting local voltages and 60 Hertz cycle frequency. This brief provides an overview of bidirectional charging and policy considerations for supporting its increased use.

Abstract

While hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) are seen as a part of California’s efforts to decarbonize transportation, especially for the heavy-duty vehicle sector, their role remains unclear. This may change, however, with the launch of the California Alliance for Renewable Clean Energy Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES) developed by the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) as a public-private partnership.

This brief highlights results from a UC Davis Hydrogen Program study evaluating the requirements and costs of building a network of hydrogen stations (including delivering hydrogen to those stations), and the costs of purchasing these vehicles, including light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles. Specifically, the brief highlights two scenarios for estimating the level of investment and other costs for building out a hydrogen system to support road transportation (i.e., trucks, cars, buses), and examines how these investments and per-unit hydrogen costs play out over time (with 2030 and 2045 being key years) and across different types of hydrogen system components (e.g., hydrogen delivery systems and stations).