Create your own power

Microgrids, EVs & electrical resilience

From personal cars to delivery trucks to city buses, electrical vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly common. And forecasts suggest that, within ten years, millions more will be driving—and charging.

This is no small matter. Experts predict that this dramatic increase in EV energy demand could even have a “catastrophic” impact on the electrical grid. In fact, the U.S. Energy Information Administration projects transportation-related electricity consumption will increase twelve-fold, from 12 billion kWh in 2021 to more than 145 billion kWh in 2050.

Combine that added load with other factors like extreme weather and security threats, and many question whether the nation’s current electrical infrastructure can handle the increased demand. Thus, people are calling for an alternative approach to power generation altogether: Microgrids.

Now you have the power

One advocate of this growing technology is Cody George, P.E., Co-founder and President of Sales at RavenVolt. A mechanical and electrical engineer by trade, he and his partners Jonathan Hinton, Eric Scanlon and Austin Nolen founded RavenVolt in 2020. To them, the benefit of a microgrid is simple: “It’s about owning your own destiny.”

When it’s your “own,” you enjoy complete control. And that control is a compelling offer for RavenVolt’s customers. They’re looking to control energy costs, as well as limit their exposure to power outages. On top of that, they want the benefit of economies of scale, often buying anywhere between 20 and 300 charging sites per year. “Most of all,” notes Cody, “they want a cohesive strategy across their operation—from California to Florida.”

For them, implementing in different geographies is critical. As Cody notes, “​​When you look at the regional requirements, whether that’s the local utility or natural environmental constraints, we’re able to deliver the best implementation strategy. That includes engineering for permit and utility requirements, construction, funding and the specific type of electrical equipment for the application.”

Across the industry, the rush to implement EV has often meant taking shortcuts 
for switchgear. Facilities buy off-the-shelf solutions and patch them together. 
But RavenVolt takes a different approach.

“We provide customers a standardized microgrid solution nationwide, but design 
and tailor the exact piece of switchgear to the customer’s specific application,” Cody explains. “It’s all about the easy integration of on-site renewables, whether that’s solar, battery or ensuring on-site resiliency and expansion capability. We’re not beholden to one technology, so our customers aren’t locked into outdated infrastructure forcing them to completely retool.”

RavenVolt microgrids deliver scalable alternatives for reducing emissions while boosting grid resiliency.

Your data, your destiny

In 2022, RavenVolt was acquired by ABM, which provides nationwide eMoblity infrastructure, installation and maintenance. “It’s a perfect match,” says Cody. “We truly do everything in house now—from the engineering to the construction 
to the long-term O&M. That’s how we deliver on quality, speed of execution, cost control, safety and actionable data.”

And when Cody tells prospects they’ll have actionable data and real-time energy management to improve their overall efficiency and demonstrate the ROI of their microgrids, their reactions are always the same—charged with pure excitement.