February 23, 2025
Energy

Vt. Electric Co-op implements AI to track energy demand


BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Drivers waking up to charged electric vehicles don’t have to think about much but plugging in the night before – but there’s a whole process behind the scenes ensuring you can hit the road at a fair rate.

Before AI entered the scene, Vermont Electric Co-op worried that a few too many customers plugged in could overwhelm transformers.

“It’s caused transformers to overload. It’s caused smoking on a transformer,” said Vermont Electric Co-op innovation and tech leader Cyril Brunner.

But cut to today, and Brunner says AI prevents transformer overload for them.

“As the grid becomes more complex with additional renewables and electric vehicles, we’re trying to go from being reactive to proactive, and AI really helps us make that happen,” said Brunner.

VEC partners with grid management company Camus Energy to manage energy use.

On their software platform, Brunner can track customers with EVs and even stagger which cars are charging at once.

That helps him anticipate and prevent overload.

Utilities across the state are leaning more and more into AI as ownership of technology like EVs and home batteries expands.

It helps them avoid grid upgrades and bringing fossil fuels onto the grid at peak.

Ultimately, Camus CEO Astrid Atkinson says that keeps costs lower for customers.

“In order to tackle load growth in a way that doesn’t just blow up people’s bills, utilities really need to start looking at technology applications that increase how efficient the grid is,’ said Atkinson.

While VEC monitors AI software daily to create the best customer experience, most customers are unaware of all the work it takes to get there.

But Brunner says that’s just the way VEC wants it.

“As long as their electric vehicle is charged in the morning, as long as their battery is charged after we call an event, they are happy, and I think by and large, they don’t notice that this is happening,” said Brunner.

Looking at the big picture, VEC says AI will be critical in helping them meet their goal of being 100% renewable by 2030.



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