TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 26, 2013) - CSA Group, a leading North American standards development and testing and certification organization announces it has been awarded $1.8 million in funding from the Government of Canada's ecoENERGY Innovation Initiative (ecoEII) for the development of new standards supporting electric vehicle adoption.

"Through the ecoENERGY Innovation Initiative, our Government is investing in innovative clean energy technologies that create jobs, generate new economic opportunities and protect the environment," said the Honourable Joe Oliver, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources. "This program demonstrates our tangible support for energy projects that drive energy innovation."

The funding will provide for the development of a suite of consensus-based Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) and battery charging equipment standards. It will also support research to identify future technologies needing new standards as well as research into developing and harmonizing international EVSE standards.

"This funding from Natural Resources Canada's ecoENERGY Innovation Initiative will support the development of emerging electrical transportation technologies including new electric vehicle supply equipment such as charging stations and components," says Bonnie Rose, President, Standards, CSA Group. "CSA Group is a leading developer of standards for alternative energy vehicles and ultimately these harmonized standards will help Canada achieve significant vehicle emission reductions as fully-electric vehicles become more widely adopted by consumers across North America."

Pike Research recently forecasted North American EVSE sales will grow from around 66,000 units in 2012 to 2.4 units in 2020^*. The updated codes and new standards will help enable Canadian manufacturers to meet the anticipated demand for electric vehicles domestically, and harmonized versions will assist product sales internationally. Ultimately, they will help ensure the safety and interoperability of electric vehicles for Canadians.

These EVSE standards will be published and integrated into the Canadian Electrical Code and charging products will be rigorously tested and certified by nationally-recognized testing laboratories against the requirements and specifications in these CSA Group documents.

^*Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment, Level 1 and Level 2, DC Fast Charging, and Wireless EVSE: Global Market Analysis and Forecasts. Pike Research, October, 2012

In the first phase of development, CSA Group will be responsible for developing, harmonizing and gaining code reference for the four most needed EVSE standards for North America, including:

• CSA C22.2 NO. 280-13 - Electric vehicle supply equipment
• CSA C22.2 No. 281.1 - Safety for personnel protection systems for electric vehicle supply circuits: General requirements
• CSA C22.2 No. 281.2 - Safety for personnel protection systems for electric vehicle supply circuits: Particular requirements for protection devices for use in charging systems
• C22.2 No. 282-13 - Safety for personnel protection systems for electric vehicle supply circuits: Particular requirements for protection devices for use in charging systems

In subsequent project phases, CSA Group will work to build and expand the group of Canadian and international experts, entities and associations needed to develop new technology standards, with the goal of integrating Canada's requirements into the international standards governing global EVSE and charging specifications.

The ecoEII program supports research, development and demonstration projects aiming to improve energy-efficiency and the production of clean energy. CSA Group's electric vehicle standards activities fall under the program's priority of the electrification of transportation.

About CSA Group

CSA Group is an independent, not-for-profit membership association dedicated to safety, social good and sustainability. Its knowledge and expertise encompass standards development; training and advisory solutions; global testing and certification services across key business areas including hazardous locations and industrial, plumbing and construction, medical, safety and technology, appliances and gas, alternative energy, lighting and sustainability; as well as consumer product evaluation services. The CSA certification mark appears on billions of products worldwide. For more information about CSA Group visit www.csagroup.org.

Anthony Toderian
Manager, Corporate Affairs
CSA Group
416-747-2620
anthony.toderian@csagroup.org
www.csagroup.org