Protocol_Utilities (EV)_20220714

OMB Control Number: 1905-0186

Expiration Date: 9/30/2025

Utilities (EV) Protocol

Introduction:

Thank you for taking the time to talk with us today!

My name is _______ and I work for EIA. With me on this call today is ____. The purpose of this study is to understand and explore the feasibility of collecting data on EVs electrical grid consumption.

Your responses will be protected as confidential information. According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1905-0186. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 60 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

Do you have any questions before we begin?

Background Questions:

1. What type of utility is this (Confirm question… If needed: co-op, investor-own, Municipal)?

   1. If not on the frame ask whether they are a Load Serving entity, balancing authority, or both.

2. What is your position at your company?

3. Is your company currently reporting to EIA?

If yes:

1. What survey forms are you currently filling out?

2. What does this process typically entail?

3. Is there an approval process? If so, could you share with us how this might look like?

4. What do you consider to be an electric vehicle?

   1. If needed probe on: Do you know the different types or configurations of EVs? Probe on (PHEV), battery EV (BEV).

Provide a brief EV definition in order to ensure we are on the same page:

For the purpose of this research, we are only interested in EVs that plug into the electrical grid. We will be focusing on BEV and PHEVs.

Information on EVs

5. What technologies or services are you offering your customers that own electric vehicles?

6. Does your company have information on how many EV users are charging in their homes?

IF YES

1. How are you collecting this information?

2. Are you able to isolate and measure how much electricity is being consumed by EVs?

3. How difficult or easy is it to assess whether customers are charging electric vehicles?

   1. Could you explain how this is measured?

   2. How do you record/store this information?

   3. IF No: If you are unable to determine EV consumption, could you please tell us what is needed for this to occur?

4. What other EV information are you currently collecting?

IF NO

5. Could you tell me what is needed in order to know whether you have EV customers?

6. Could you please tell us what is needed to determine the consumption of electricity of EVs?

   1. Based on your feedback, what is the likelihood of this occurring?

   2. Can you provide an estimate of the consumption of electricity of EVs?

      1. If so who in your company would you talk to obtain this information?

      2. How easy or difficult would it be to do that?

Commercial Fleets

7. What kind of information do you have on the energy consumption of commercial fleets in regards to EV?

If yes:

1. How are you collecting this information?

   1. Could you explain how this is measured?

   2. How do you record/store this information?

Probe on:

3. Do you know if vehicles being charged are mainly light-duty vehicles or medium/heavy-duty vehicles like delivery vehicles or buses?

4. What are your concerns, if any, regarding the electricity load of these fleets?

5. Do you know if these fleets have standby power (i.e., self-supply electricity like solar panels)?

If no information:

2. Could you please tell us what is needed to determine the consumption of electricity of EVs?

   1. Can you provide an estimate of the consumption of electricity of these commercial fleets?

      1. If so who in your company would you talk to obtain this information?

      2. How easy or difficult would it be to do that?

Charging Companies

8. Does your company have their own charging stations?

If yes:

1. What kind of information do you collect from these stations?

2. How do you collect this information?

3. IF necessary: Do you collect electricity consumption from these charging station?

4. How easy or difficult would it be to provide this information to EIA? If necessary: Could you tell me more about this?

9. Do you provide utility service to charging companies such as ChargePoint, Electrify America, Tesla, and others?

If yes:

1. What kind of information do you collect from these charging companies?

2. How do you collect this type of information?

3. How do you store this information?

4. (If needed): Do you collect electricity consumption of EVs from these companies?

   1. If yes: How do you determine electricity consumption of EVs?

   2. If no: How can you determine electricity consumption of EVs?

   3. How easy or difficult would it be to provide this information to EIA? If necessary: Could you tell me more about this?

Reporting to EIA

10. If EIA were to add some questions to Form EIA-861 regarding EV electricity consumption, how easy or hard would it be to provide this information? Please explain

    1. Data like: Overall consumption in kWh?

    2. Consumption by EV type?

    3. Type of charging?

       1. Third-party

       2. Home

       3. City

       4. Corporate fleet

       5. Utility owned

    4. Could this be collected on a monthly basis? If not…probe here.

11. What would electric utilities need to report this data?

If necessary probe on:

1. Any type of permissions?

2. Technology?

3. Infrastructure?

Incentives/Programs

12. Does your company provide any programs specific to EVs?

(probe on: is it a pilot program or fully implemented; buyer incentives or discounts, lower electric rates for charging, discounted/free charging equipment, demand response for charging, free charging on utility owned chargers, monthly rebates, manufacturer incentives, DER programs)

1. Could you please describe these programs?

   1. What are the goals of these programs?

   2. Have they been effective at achieving those goals?

   3. What could be improved?

2. Do you think your company’s incentive program for EV users has resulted in an increase of EV users?"

Questions about EV technologies/services

13. Could you please describe any technologies/services that help in collecting information on electricity consumption of EVs?

14. What are your thoughts about smart meters?

1. If needed: How does this technology help or hinder the ability to assess EV electric sales?

15. Have you heard of charging apps?

    1. How useful or not useful are they in reporting electricity consumption?

    2. What are your thoughts about these types of charging app?

16. In your opinion, what needs to be standardized in order to collect EV electricity consumption from the grid?

Other Contact (Snow Balling)

17. Do you know of any company/utility currently collecting information on EVs electrical grid consumption?

IF YES

1. Could you please provide me with their names?

2. How are they collecting this information?

3. Would you provide us with their contact information?

I have no further questions, do you have any questions you would like to ask us?

Thank you for your time.