Ontario is leading the world in Smart Grid development, and Burlington Hydro is committed to be the leader amongst Ontario’s local distribution companies. Local Electricity Distribution Companies, such as Burlington Hydro, have an important role to play in advancing the potential for electric vehicles, particularly in the development and provision of recharging infrastructure, which is the critical “backbone” for the proliferation of electric vehicle technology.

The electrification of vehicles will ultimately rely on electricity grid infrastructure capable of meeting the needs of vehicle users in a practical, efficient and cost competitive way. For example, to make electric vehicles practical, customers will need convenient, safe and user-friendly charging infrastructure, that allows them to charge their vehicles where and when it is required – at work, at home, or on the highway — with transparent pricing and underlying customer billing systems. In the near future, electric vehicle owners should be able to manage vehicle recharging by Blackberry, Iphone or the internet.

Electric vehicles and their batteries also offer the potential to store power, which could potentially be sold back into the electricity grid in times of peak demand. A “Smart Grid” system is key to enabling this kind of customer interface. The emergence of all-electric vehicles introduces dynamic opportunities to advance the province as a centre of innovation for green energy and electricity grid modernization.

Additionally, Burlington Hydro seeks to create unique expertise in the practical application of electric vehicle technologies to support its customers. Widespread adoption of all-electric vehicles can contribute to Ontario’s goal to reduce the province’s reliance on fossil fuels, both in terms of power generation and on our roads.