Quebec's energy minister is asking people to monitor their energy consumption and change their habits as the province prepares to expand its fleet of electric vehicles (EVs).
Quebec has set its EV sights on two million gas-free vehicles on the road by the end of the decade.
Two million electric vehicles will make for a heavy strain on the grid, according to Economy, Innovation and Energy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon
“Needless to say, the two million EVs that (Environment Minister) Benoit Charette has put as a rule is putting a lot of pressure on Hydro-Quebec,” he said Friday.
But former environment minister and political analyst David Heurtel says the government isn't letting on just how much power it needs.
“We just don't have enough energy to cover all the demand for power over the next few years,” he told CTV.
Quebec's hydro is cheaper than Ontario's, and “Quebec has been very good at attracting a lot of investment” for that reason, said Heurtel.
“Plus, also remember Hydro-Quebec has concluded major export projects to the U.S. over the last few years.”
Cheaper rates and high demand mean the government has to pivot to accommodate a new fleet of vehicles on the road. In hopes of alleviating that pressure, the government is investing $2.7 million into new technology.
Two Quebec companies are developing software to power electric charging stations in condos and apartments. They say the remote system will distribute power through the night rather than during peak hours.
“We help people charge at the right time of the day to get cheaper rate and also protect the grid from overloading,” said David Corbeil, CEO of Rechargde Vehicule Electrique
Fitzgibbon also floated the idea of changing hydro costs to create incentives to cut down.
