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Can the grid handle millions of EVs? In Tennessee, distribution systems will be 'canary in the coal mine'

Utility Dive · Robert Walton · last updated

Electrifying all 10 million vehicles in the Tennessee Valley Authority service territory would add 25-30% to existing load, a level the transmission system could handle, according to utility studies.

Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: electricity

State of Play

Electricity is a secondary energy source: it is generated through the conversion of primary energy sources such as natural gas, coal, solar, hydropower, and wind. Electricity’s versatility is not cost-free: a substantial amount of energy is lost in its generation and the cost of storage is high, compared with fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. The economics of battery technology hold the key to expanded use of renewable sources to generate electricity.

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