Urban Resilience with Curbside Bidirectional Electric Vehicle Charging

The California Energy Commission project, titled Urban Resilience with Curbside Bidirectional Electric Vehicle Charging (solicitation EPC-25-019), focuses on the design, fabrication, and validation of a novel curbside vehicle-to-grid (V2G) electric vehicle charger. This technology is designed to integrate with urban infrastructure and support bidirectional energy capabilities between EVs and the grid to enhance local grid resilience and provide underserved communities with access to advanced clean transportation technology. The project scope includes the development of prototype chargers, benchtop testing, and a 1.5-year demonstration phase involving vehicle testing. The physical implementation will take place at the UC Berkeley Richmond Field Station located at 1301 S 46th St, Richmond, California. Specific deliverables include the installation of two 7.6kW Level 2 AC EV chargers and associated cabling, which requires civil engineering for permitting, as well as trenching within previously paved and disturbed areas to connect the equipment to an existing power source. The project is categorized as exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under sections 15301, 15303, and 15311, as it involves minor alterations and the installation of small equipment within an existing research site. Administrative oversight is provided by Katelynn Dinius, Air Resources Engineer, and project management is supported by Shannon Dulaney of It's Electric Incorporated.