As summer heat drives up electricity demand, commercial EV charging operators face a hidden cost: demand charges that can spike 40% to 65% above winter rates. EVready Energy’s Energy Guardian platform offers a solution that works with any charger brand, according to a company announcement.
Demand charges are fees based on a site’s highest 15-minute power consumption interval during a billing period. For EV charging sites, a single unmanaged peak can set a surcharge that persists for months. Between June and September, many utilities increase these charges significantly, making active load management critical.
“A DC fast charger can draw 150 kilowatts the moment a session starts. If that lands during your building’s afternoon peak in July, you’ve just set a charge that follows you for a month – at the highest rate of the year,” said Chris Nihan, CEO and Co-Founder of EVready Energy. “Guardian’s job is to make sure that spike never registers.”
Energy Guardian is a network-agnostic platform that manages charging loads without requiring equipment swaps. It integrates with various charger brands, including ChargePoint and Blink, to optimize energy use and reduce demand charges. The system intervenes only when necessary, minimizing impact on charging availability.
In a published customer report, Berger Chevrolet in Grand Rapids, Michigan, used Energy Guardian to manage loads against the building’s base consumption. During a single billing period, the platform reduced the site’s peak demand from a potential 149.8 kW to 116.9 kW, saving an estimated $680.94. The system intervened in just 7.1% of 15-minute intervals, and no charging sessions were turned away.
“The Guardian software enables us to take advantage of opportunities to reduce costs, and the EVready Energy team is there providing friendly, expert guidance every step of the way,” said Mike Ohlman of Berger Chevrolet.
The announcement highlights that many operators are unaware of their financial exposure during the summer months. As sites enter the most cost-intensive period, EVready Energy recommends reviewing utility tariffs before the first heat-driven peak establishes the baseline for the quarter. For more details on how demand charges work and how to manage them, visit EVready Energy.
EVready Energy provides EV charging strategy, certified installation, and ongoing energy management for dealerships, fleets, multifamily properties, parking operators, and public sector clients nationwide. The Energy Guardian platform’s ability to work with any charger brand without equipment replacement makes it a versatile tool for cost-conscious operators.
