As Salt Lake City continues to expand and grow, as does the need to pivot to sustainable transit options. Luckily, ev.energy is already a step ahead. We sat down with their U.S. Commercial Project Manager, Addie, to learn more about ev.energy and its incredible community initiatives (and where to find the best backcountry skiing).
Can you describe the work that you do?
ev.energy’s mission is to bring greener, cheaper, and simpler electric vehicle (EV) charging to as many people as possible. We do this through an app that connects to EVs and chargers, then automates the charging process to occur during the cheapest (for people on time-of-use electricity rates) and greenest times . This is known as smart charging. We use live carbon feeds to understand the energy mix on the grid, and schedule charging to occur during times when the carbon intensity is the lowest, while still ensuring that users’ vehicles are ready when they need them. Within ev.energy, I work as a U.S. Commercial Projects Manager, and I get to work with utilities across the U.S. to implement smart charging programs within their service territories. Utilities are starting to adopt these programs to help with load management – as more EVs are introduced into a given electricity service area, the greater the demand on the grid will be. With our programs, utilities are able to schedule EV charging to automatically occur outside of peak electricity demand hours to reduce stress on the grid, respond in real-time to critical grid events such as heat waves and rolling blackouts, and reduce grid carbon emissions.
Are there any exciting projects that you’re working on right now?
There are so many exciting projects going on at ev.energy right now! Within my branch of the business, we are working on refining the demand response process for EVs. This entails working with our utility partners to get as many EVs within their service territories on the app as possible and providing them with the ability to respond to critical grid events. As an example, I work with a few utilities in the Bay Area in California, and during the major heat wave event in early September of 2022 when rolling blackouts were predicted due to grid strain, we called demand response events to automatically avoid EV charging during the peak hours of those events. In one of my programs, we had a 98% user participation in the events and were able to shift 92% of EV load out of the peak hours, thus alleviating some of the grid strain. We’re also working on some exciting projects with solar to enable users with panels on their homes to charge with a solar-grid mix or solar-only, as well as working with EV charger networks and vehicle fleets to bring smart charging to as many people and industries as possible.
ev.energy is doing great work in optimizing clean energy, are there any other sustainability initiatives that ev.energy is a part of?
One of my favorite things about ev.energy is that the business is truly committed to making a difference and including sustainability in both major and minor decisions. We are a B Corp, which is huge for our sustainability initiatives – not just regarding environmental impact, but also our social performance goals. Our company also supports the GiveOut Climate Fund, which helps support LGBTQI communities who are more likely to experience forced displacement, conflict and service disruption through direct impacts of climate change related natural disasters. Additionally, we are committed to aiding in making the shift to electric vehicles and charging more equitable, and have partnered with companies such as SmartenIt to make cheaper EV charging methods more widely available.
Originally from Montana, what drew you to Salt Lake City? What are some of your favorite things you’ve experienced here so far?
The mountains!! My husband and I (and our dog) love getting outside together, and the access to amazing mountain biking and skiing in the SLC area is hard to beat. We moved here from Bozeman, Montana, so it’s been fun to continue doing our favorite outdoor activities while having the added bonus of living in a city. It’s been so fun to ski in some of the best early-season snow I’ve ever experienced, and discovering some new backcountry spots and resorts has been a real highlight. I’ve also really enjoyed spending time down south and mountain biking in Moab and St. George, trying out new restaurants and breweries, and of course wine tastings with Jim here at the Shop!
What drew you to The Shop?
What initially drew me to The Shop was the gorgeous space and amazing location, as well as the fact that the building is Net Zero (yay sustainability!). I love that there are different floors and work environments to choose from on the Commons Membership, and as a new member of the SLC community the monthly event calendar was a huge bonus. I also LOVE the management team – everyone is so thoughtful and fun to chat with, and I felt very welcomed by everyone.
Has The Shop impacted the way that you work/your experience in moving to Salt Lake City?
The Shop has helped a ton with my productivity and overall satisfaction at work! While I love hanging out with my dog at home, it’s been so nice to have a space to go to that helps me focus and also provides opportunities to make new friends and socialize. Working remotely and being the sole employee for ev.energy located in Salt Lake can feel a bit lonely, but The Shop has helped a ton by providing fun events and a great community to join.
We are proud to have members like Addie pushing forward sustainability in Salt Lake City. You can find Addie making the world a better place in our 2nd floor commons lounge, or at our monthly wine tasting!