As summer heat drives up electricity demand, commercial EV charging sites face a sharp increase in demand charges—fees based on a site's highest 15-minute power consumption interval. Between June and September, utilities often raise these charges by 40% to 65% above winter rates, creating a financial burden that can persist for months. EVready Energy, the company behind the Energy Guardian platform, highlights that active load management is crucial during this period.
“Demand charges are seasonal, and summer is when they bite hardest,” said Chris Nihan, CEO and Co-Founder of EVready Energy. “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. Guardian's job is to make sure that spike never registers.”
The platform's effectiveness is demonstrated in a published customer report from Berger Chevrolet in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Energy Guardian managed ChargePoint and Blink charger loads against the building's base consumption over a single billing period. Without intervention, the site would have recorded a peak of 149.8 kW. Guardian held the actual peak to 116.9 kW—a reduction that saved an estimated $680.94 and cut the dealership's single largest demand event by approximately 75%. The system intervened in only 7.1% of the period's 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.
Energy Guardian is network-agnostic, managing energy costs regardless of charger brand, and requires no equipment replacement. For commercial operators heading into the summer rate season, EVready Energy recommends reviewing utility tariffs before the first heat-driven peak establishes the financial baseline for the quarter. To learn how demand charges work and how to manage them, learn more at 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.
