New England Electrification Load Forecast
E4TheFuture retained Synapse to investigate whether New England is well-suited to handle the electrification transformation within the next decade. Electrification is a key strategy to reducing emissions and shifting away from fossil fuel reliance. Heat pumps and electric vehicles have gained traction as two technologies that will help that vision become a reality. Up until now, implementation has been fairly slow, but a combination of forward-looking policies and technology improvements may change that.
Our question is – does increased electrification pose a threat to New England’s electric grid within the next decade? Synapse framed its' analysis in the context of ISO New England’s 2020 Capacity, Energy, Load, and Transmission forecast. Synapse found that policymakers can set an ambitious path to meet climate goals without significant disruption to the electric grid, by incorporating updated EV charging rates and controls. By continuing to offer efficiency programs, states can mitigate or even eliminate grid impacts due to electrification.