Electric vehicle pilot offers Alberta Fortis customers $150 to test power grid
If you're a FortisAlberta customer who owns an electric vehicle (EV), the company is looking for your help with a pilot program that will test the limits of Alberta's electrical infrastructure.
Along with the valuable information, Fortis is also offering eligible participants incentives for their time.
The Electric Vehicle Smart Charging Pilot hopes to answer questions about how the adoption of EVs will affect the province's system, especially with the federal government's recent pledge to fully transition to zero-emission vehicles by 2035.
"We expect to see an increasing number of Albertans driving EVs," Fortis said in a release, adding that thousands of Albertans are already using them.
According to the Alberta Electric System Operator, it's predicted there will be 1.5 million EVs on Alberta roads by 2035.
To participate, customers who drive an EV who live within Fortis' service area need to download Optiwatt, a smart charging app, for free from the Apple or Google Play store.
Only 600 spots are available and anyone who signs up will receive $150 – $50 at signup, and $100 at the conclusion of the pilot program after completing a survey.
Fortis says "additional incentives" will be offered to participants through the Optiwatt app.
"Rewards are provided through the Optiwatt app and can be redeemed through Paypal, Zelle, Stripe and digital gift cards," Fortis said.
It's the first pilot of its kind in rural Alberta, Fortis says, and also reflects the company's commitment to a resilient power grid.
"The data gathered will help us understand vehicle charging requirements of our customers," said Fortis' vice-president of engineering Curtis Eck in a statement.
"It will also demonstrate the opportunity for active managed charging to mitigate grid impacts, reduce carbon impacts and save customers money – costs that directly impact the transmission and distribution fees on Alberta utility bills."
The pilot program began in January and will end on Dec. 31.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
BREAKING Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.