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[Richard230]

Here is what a Stanford study thinks will be the best time to charge your EV in the future. 

[Curt]

Are they purporting to present this as a revelation? Because it's rather obvious and hardly controversial.

I charge my EVs during the day already, the reason being that PG&E buys my power at wholesale (something like $0.04), then turns around and charges several times that to whomever they sell it to. And then they have the gall to charge me a $10/mo. "hookup fee" for the privilege of letting them do that -- never mind that I would be hooked up anyway, just like any other customer.

Charging during the day works really well. Too well, because my EVs get fully charged in only a few days, faster than I can use it up, so I still have to send back lots of power. I try to use the A/C and laundry machines during peak solar as well.

[Richard230]

It is just another "study" that made the TV and radio news last week, then was followed by this article.

I pay PG&E 42.5 cents during off-peak and 49.5 cents during peak hours, which I do my best to avoid.

BTW, expect PG&E's power rates to go up again. The Federal government has opened up a criminal case because they believe that the utility company's equipment started the big Mosquito fire and several people have filed a civil lawsuit against the company due to their homes being destroyed by the fire.

[Richard230]

And now for some crazy news that I heard on the local radio news station today from an electrical grid expert:  He says that future large appliances, such as stoves, water heaters, furnaces, laundry machines, etc. will all be designed to turn off automatically when they are informed via the internet that California's electrical grid is under stress. There was no mention if this plan would also apply to charging electric vehicles, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did. That is bad enough, but what really got my attention was when he forecasted that the electrical utilities in California would one day be charging for power based upon the grid demand. The electrical rate would change hour-by-hour depending upon how much demand on the utility's transmission grid is being used by the utility's customers.     I hope I am not around to witness that rate plan go into effect. 

[DonTom]

There was no mention if this plan would also apply to charging electric vehicles, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did.

I expected such. A lot of Tesla information goes out OTA as it is.


But I also expect that we will be able to override it for a small fee as needed.


I really do not think it's a bad idea.


But there should be enough juice right now for us all to have EVs.

See here.


Debates from those who said the grid cannot handle it, never did the math.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[Moto7575]

It is the case in France, but you have lower prices if you choose this option. In the end it will always be less expensive for households to be given a choice that to pay an everincreasing average price during times they could partially avoid

And now for some crazy news that I heard on the local radio news station today from an electrical grid expert:  He says that future large appliances, such as stoves, water heaters, furnaces, laundry machines, etc. will all be designed to turn off automatically when they are informed via the internet that California's electrical grid is under stress. There was no mention if this plan would also apply to charging electric vehicles, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did. That is bad enough, but what really got my attention was when he forecasted that the electrical utilities in California would one day be charging for power based upon the grid demand. The electrical rate would change hour-by-hour depending upon how much demand on the utility's transmission grid is being used by the utility's customers.     I hope I am not around to witness that rate plan go into effect.

[Richard230]

My complaint about the hourly rate change plan is that the consumer would never know what the rate is going to be at any given time and could not plan their electrical power use accordingly. Right now I have two rates that are based upon the time of day. An "off-peak" rate of 42.5 cents per kWh, between 10pm and 4pm, and a "peak" rate charged between 4pm and 10pm of 48.5 cents per kWh. Not a lot of difference between the two rates and therefore not a lot of incentive for PG&E customers to really cut back on electrical consumption during peak hours. It seems more like a feelgood gimmick to me. But if the rate changed every hour, how would anyone know what that rate is, especially with a company like PG&E (Northern California's private for-profit electrical provider) who seems to feel that their customers are a bunch of suckers and their real concern is the welfare of  their stockholders?

[Curt]

... a company like PG&E (Northern California's private for-profit electrical provider) who seems to feel that their customers are a bunch of suckers and their real concern is the welfare of  their stockholders?

As they should be. The problem is no competition. I think the grid should be publicly maintained like the roads, and power going in and out should be a free-for-all for producers and consumers. Then dynamically adjust pricing according to something like grid stress. (Only problem is government costs would creep up)