California Begs Residents To Change Their EV Charging Routines

[RedStallion]

Blackouts are coming back, California nicely asks EV owners to charge off-peak. Electricity rationing is not far in the future.

Matthew Moniot, a researcher with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory said that most drivers who charge at night "will have to change" their routines: "If you look at aggregate load across the grid, it tends to spike in the evening hours whenever people come home." He called it a "tricky problem" that relies on "how much can we move what's currently overnight charging to be during the daytime hours, when generation may be more excessive."

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/c...harging-routines-amidst-precarious-power-grid

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[FPLiptak]

We in southwest Utah have also been asked to delay charging until off-peak hours.

 

[intoMME]

If you own your home, buy (not lease) some solar panels. They pay for themselves in about 5 years if you go with the right company. No contracts, no b.s. I'm paying the same amount monthly to pay off my panels that I would have been paying to the electric company. In 5 years, those payments will cover the cost of the panels and I get free electricity. No need for backup batteries.

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

Blackouts are coming back, California nicely asks EV owners to charge off-peak. Electricity rationing is not far in the future.

Matthew Moniot, a researcher with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory said that most drivers who charge at night "will have to change" their routines: "If you look at aggregate load across the grid, it tends to spike in the evening hours whenever people come home." He called it a "tricky problem" that relies on "how much can we move what's currently overnight charging to be during the daytime hours, when generation may be more excessive."

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/c...harging-routines-amidst-precarious-power-grid

Off peak hours in Hawaii for EV charging or otherwise are from 9 am to 5 pm. The highest cost time period to charge? 10 pm through 9 am.

Solar power baby!

 

[JamieGeek]

Very interesting: Off-peak hours here are 11pm - 9am.

I believe there is a lot more wind than solar in our "green" mix (of which is only about 15% and growing).

 

[Chuck]

I do have solar so my fuel costs are nil. I still charge after 10pm when the rates are 7 cents per kilowatt hour.

 

[Chuck]

If you own your home, buy (not lease) some solar panels. They pay for themselves in about 5 years if you go with the right company. No contracts, no b.s. I'm paying the same amount monthly to pay off my panels that I would have been paying to the electric company. In 5 years, those payments will cover the cost of the panels and I get free electricity. No need for backup batteries.

In my thinking the payback period is the wrong way to look at solar. I look at it as a return on my money. Here's why. I paid $37k cash for solar. After the federal rebate my net out of pocket is $25,900. My monthly average electricity bill was $308 per month. That's a 14.2% interest rate return on my $25,900 investment. Real cash, not potential. And it will only go higher over time, never down. There's no safe investment in the world that has that kind of interest rate. It was probably the best cash investment I've ever made.

On top of that my wife never has to worry about running the air conditioner.

 

[DYohn]

Yep, I charge after 11PM and I generate back into the grid during peak hours. Solar was one of my smartest ever investments.

 

[Mach-Lee]

The peak hours they're worried about are 4PM-9PM when people come home and switch on their A/C units.

Charging overnight into early morning is the best time, just don't start until 9-10 PM and the grid will be fine.

 

[ZuleMME]

In my thinking the payback period is the wrong way to look at solar. I look at it as a return on my money. Here's why. I paid $37k cash for solar. After the federal rebate my net out of pocket is $25,900. My monthly average electricity bill was $308 per month. That's a 14.2% interest rate return on my $25,900 investment. Real cash, not potential. And it will only go higher over time, never down. There's no safe investment in the world that has that kind of interest rate. It was probably the best cash investment I've ever made.

On top of that my wife never has to worry about running the air conditioner.

Not quite, the output is known to fall gradually over 25 years to where they deem most solar end of life and want you to replace it. Plus upkeep for failing components in the meantime. But I like your way of thinking.

 

[eltonlin]

On my time of use plan, the cheapest rates are midnight - 3pm.

 

[Mach-Tony]

When the government pays for my electricity, then they can tell me when to use it. Are public chargers shut off during certain times to conserve energy? I didn't think so...

 

[Chuck]

Not quite, the output is known to fall gradually over 25 years to where they deem most solar end of life and want you to replace it. Plus upkeep for failing components in the meantime. But I like your way of thinking.

While the output may fall gradually the electric rates will rise faster. Once we get high penetration of BEVs I believe that rates will rise dramatically with additional tax. This will make solar even more valuable. Mine have been in for four years without any component issues. (Fingers crossed)

 

[medicnj]

With Ford Promoting the Lightning having 2 way charge port, have something on the grid where you get better rates if you keep the truck plugged in and the grid can grab electricity from the truck automatically when it needs it.

 

[Chuck]

With Ford Promoting the Lightning having 2 way charge port, have something on the grid where you get better rates if you keep the truck plugged in and the grid can grab electricity from the truck automatically when it needs it.

I don't know. In a time of emergency I don't think I want my vehicle's power depleted automatically.

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