Most PG&E customers take advantage of the lower pricing: On average, between 60% to 70% of electric vehicles in PG&Es service area are charged during non-peak hours. These deep ocean waters have the potential to produce more than 4.5 gigawatts, enough to power about 1.5 million homes. Currently, only about 80,000 public chargers have been installed statewide, with another 17,000 on the way, according to state data. V2X: Vehicle to everything. Its a huge challenge, Stern said. While the performance will continue to degrade over time, grid-level power storage doesn't require the rapid charge or discharge behavior that puts the most stress on the battery's capacity. Today, the answer to that is mostly yes. One solution is to make sure that new EVs are equipped with bidirectional chargers. Ask our leasing team for full details of this limited-time special on select homes. CLAIM: California asked residents "to avoid charging electric cars amid power grid strain." AP'S ASSESSMENT: Missing context. The headline being shared was from a June 2021 heat wave not mid-March 2022 and was a voluntary recommendation that residents charge electric vehicles and do other activities outside of certain peak periods. My thoughts: We can see the terrible impact of climate change from droughts and rampaging wildfires in western states to increasingly frequent tropical storms and hurricanes in coastal and eastern states, as well as freak storms such as the hurricane-force derecho that tore through Iowa in August. This is plausible if the right policies are in place, but its not guaranteed. Could this be done? The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. He referenced changes in cell phone technology between 2002 and 2012 as an examplea comparison he noted is not direct but still illustrates how drastically markets can change in a decade. Temperatures as high as 112 degrees Fahrenheit (44 degrees Celsius) were forecast in some Los Angeles suburbs as a huge heat dome bakes a swathe of the western United States. BROWN / AFP) (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images), Cyclists Now Outnumber Motorists In City Of London, COtooCLEAN Process That Recycles Flexible Plastic Back To The Shelf Instead Of The Landfill Wins $3 Million Prize, Electric Bike Battery Collection And Recycling Program Started By U.K.s Bicycle Association, Cars Not Banned In 15-Minute Cities Nor Will Bugs Be Lunch, A Tedious And Boring Analysis Of Two Items In ExxonMobils 2022 10-K, Plastic Consumption Could Nearly Double By 2050, Study Warns. The system must be able to move zero emission electricity from generation sites to consumption centers where most EV owners tend to be located. California Energy Commission But then, arent we just transferring emissions from vehicles to coal- and gas-burning power plants? The so-called Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), signed into law last month, is expected to be a massive growth catalyst for the solar industry, according to a new report by the SEIA and Wood Mackenzie. Not anymore. Temperatures as high as 112 degrees Fahrenheit (44 degrees Celsius) were forecast in some Los Angeles suburbs as a huge heat dome bakes a swathe of the western United States. Roadshow readers, what are your thoughts? The California Independent System Operator said it issued an order restricting maintenance operations from August 31 through September 6 to ensure that all generators and transmission lines are in service. Toddlers could run a state more competently than Democrats.". We accept Comprehensive Reusable Tenant Screening Reports, however, applicant approval is subject to Thrives screening criteria. This story was first published in the Recode newsletter. Not all of it comes from the power grid. Itll be a good case study to suss out any issues that might happen.. Financial incentives for EV owners: V2G technology can also provide financial incentives for EV owners, who can sell excess electricity stored in their vehicles back to the grid during times of high demand, earning money in the process. H. Saad. Unlike solar and wind, which generate electricity intermittently, nuclear provides constant (baseload) energy. But no such projects are in the works yet. Photo by David Goldman, AP Photo. "During a Flex Alert, consumers are urged to reduce energy use from 4-9 p.m. when the system is most stressed because demand for electricity remains high and there is less solar energy available," the release said. We shouldnt. For eight successive days, Californias independent grid operator (Cal ISO), the body that manages the transmission grid, has issued Flex Alerts asking households to voluntarily reduce power use, including not charging EVs between 4:00-9:00 pm. So I turned to Paul-the-Merc s-Environmental-Guy. Californias sweeping climate plan would increase electricity consumption by as much as 68% by 2045 which would put an immense strain on the power grid unless hefty private and public investments are made in Gunda said the commission will have a report for legislators later this year. The most basic version of this idea entails temporarily cutting off a house from the power grid during a blackout so that the car can provide backup power; at a more advanced level, a collection of EVs working together can act like a large backup battery for the grid at large. T. K. Vrana, S. Dennetire, +3 authors. Your California Privacy Rights | Do Not Sell My Personal Information That's 915 million oil barrels' worth of emissions that won't pollute our communities. Shares of First Solar are up more than 55% year-to-date, and up 25% over the past 30 days alone. Engineering. Millions turn to Vox to educate themselves, their family, and their friends about whats happening in the world around them, and to learn about things that spark their curiosity. It all Nuclear energy provides 20% of Americas electricity and half of its clean energy. With 15 times more electric cars expected on Californias roads by 2035, the amount of power they consume will grow exponentially. For PG&E customers, charging an electric vehicle when rates are lowest between midnight and 3 p.m. is roughly equivalent to paying about $2 for a gallon of gas, Doherty said. You may opt-out by. This is quite literally a life-or-death issue: PG&E was found responsible for sparking last years Dixie Fire, the second-largest fire in state history, and charged with manslaughter after its equipment started fires in 2018 and 2020. California leads the nation in solar energy generation, according to an assessment by ChooseEnergy.com. The new policy, approved by the California Air Resources Board, will require all new cars sold in California to be free of greenhouse gas emissions by 2035 as part of an effort to fight climate change. Published 1 October 2013. ", Newsom said the $10 billion the state was investing in making the transition would make it "easier and cheaper for all Californians to purchase electric cars.". Not a month ago, they learned that the state will ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles by 2035, mandating that all new passenger cars and trucks sold in the state must be electric vehicles (EVs). The state, she said, is moving too slowly to fix the obstacles in siting new clean energy plants and transmission lines. Access to chargers is another piece of the puzzle on which Monahan said the CEC is "laser-focused," as is the state's Air Resources Board and the California Public Utilities Commission. Other keyrecommendationsfrom the reportinclude: For details on the report, view the full reportand executive summary. I certainly think that utilities, given their scale, could go further faster if they wanted to, Houston told Recode. The CEC is in charge of evaluating California's energy needs and has been tasked with identifying what kinds of investments will be necessary in order to meet Newsom's 2035 deadline. Will it be able to support millions more electric vehicles? However, there are also significant technological challenges that must be overcome before the full potential of this technology can be realized. Not only does this technology provide power to the grid during more expensive high-demand periods, but it could also help reduce the cost of ownership of the EV. Hundreds of offshore wind developers and experts gathered in Rhode Island to talk about the future of clean energy how to grow the offshore wind industry and address shared challenges. By 2032, the vehicle-to-grid are expected to grow at a CAGR of 22.6%, reaching a value of US$ 22,863 million. Last week, a company called B2U Storage Solutions announced that it had started operations at a 25 Megawatt-hour battery facility in California. Join Gary Richards for an hourlong chat noon Wednesday at www.mercurynews.com/live-chats. Gary Richards has covered traffic and transportation in the Bay Area as Mr. Roadshow since 1992. Every major automaker in the world is now making electric vehicles and we need to make it possible to charge everywhere in the state for everyone, said David Hochschild, who chairs the California Energy Commission. PG&E, which is based in San Francisco, serves a territory thats a fertile testing ground for vehicle-to-grid technology. Its also an indication of how serious GM, which announced it would end production of diesel and gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035, is about electric vehicles. How might this opposition be addressed? Despite expecting 12.5 million electric cars by 2035, California officials insist that the grid can provide enough electricity. On its own, that isn't really news, as California is adding a lot of battery power. Garamendi: Congress must require change to avoid more rail disasters, Southern California mountain residents head home, for many its the first time in days, At least 26 killed in fiery train crash in Greece. Monahan told Newsweek utility rates will also be key to creating new consumer behaviors. The cost of producing the energy averages about $84 per megawatt-hour, more than most other sources of energy, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. But this raises another problem: For your electric vehicle to power your home in a blackout, you need to be able to plug your car into your home likely through a charger located in a garage or carport. We are not yet on track. The pressure is on for California drivers to embrace electric vehicles after Governor Gavin Newsom announced last year the state will no longer allow sales of gas- and diesel-powered vehicles by 2035. But for many drivers, charging during the day or late at night is not a problem: Most electric cars have chargers that can be automatically turned on after 9 p.m. Is nuclear power required to switch over to EVs? CNMN Collection What will happen in 2035 when many more EVs need to be charged, potentially during another heatwave? Electrifying all new cars in California could be an immense burden on the states struggling power grid -- or a whole new line of defense against blackouts. If we just take a laissez-faire approach with the market, then we will not get there, said Sascha von Meier, a retired UC Berkeley electrical engineering professor who specializes in power grids. Thus, moving this electricity from generation sites to consumption centers requires creating a massive new transmission system. WIRED Media Group By 2032, the vehicle-to-grid are expected to grow at a CAGR of 22.6%, reaching a value of US$ 22,863 million. By 2030, about 1.2 million chargers will be needed for 8 million vehicles, according to a state report. In a Baptist-Bootlegger alliance, climate groups could even team up with the nuclear industry in this regard. Discover how the digital world is changing and changing us with Recodes weekly newsletter. Engineering. For context, Diablo meets 9.3% of the states electricity needs. Conditions apply. California has about 838,000 electric cars and plug-in hybrids. California has about 838,000 electric cars and plug-in hybrids. With 15 times more electric cars expected on Californias roads by 2035, the amount of power they consume will grow exponentially. "California plans on using rates to help drive the charging behaviors that are going to help the state electrify transportation while cutting carbon from the grid and saving ratepayers and drivers money," she told Newsweek. While the idea may go back a while, implementing it required two things: a steady supply of end-of-life car batteries and a regular excess of cheap power to charge the batteries with. Many Californians right now are no doubt feeling the whipsaws of conflicting government policies. Here are some insightful pieces of information about V2G: Overall, V2G technology has the potential to transform the way we consume and generate energy, and to provide a range of benefits for the environment, EV owners, and the energy grid. Look for Gary Richards at Facebook.com/mr.roadshow or contact him at mrroadshow@bayareanewsgroup.com or 408-920-5335. "California recently ruled to ban gas powered cars by 2035 but just put out a warning to 'avoid charging electric vehicles' due to power grid issues and blackouts," The Hodgetwinsconservative comedians Keith and Kevin Hodgewrote in a tweet. A new state mandate requires 60% of Californias power supply to come from renewables by 2030 nearly double the amount of 2022. But Californias turbines would be the first in the nation to float on platforms anchored by cables in waters reaching about half a mile deep. About two-thirds of U.S. solar capacity and 99% of wind capacity is utility-scale, located outside big cities, the major consumption centers. During a power outage, electrical devices in homes or businesses can be powered by the energy stored in an electric vehicle. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Offshore wind farms offer the promise of a lot of clean energy at the time of day and season when we need it most, Stern said. As investments in renewable energy sources continue to increase, she said it will also be "critically important" to invest in storage for that energy so that Californians can have access to it at all times of day. Its already home to more than 320,000 electric vehicles. Massive funds are required but this is probably less of an issue for the U.S. Yet if all Californians bought E.V.s tomorrow, it would be a nightmare for the state's power grid. The juxtaposition of the mandate and the grid crisis sparked widespread skepticism: How can the state require Californians to buy electric cars if the grid couldnt even supply enough power to make it through the summer? (Photo by Frederic J. Ultimately, electrifying cars, heaters, stoves and other equipment currently running on fossil fuels could save an average family $1,050 to $2,585 a year, according to Rewiring America. To meet these goals, the lead commissioner on clean transportation at the California Energy Commission (CEC), Patty Monahan, estimated 8 million electric cars Sign up here so you dont miss the next one! The Burbo Bank Offshore Wind Farm in the Irish Sea is photographed on November 19, 2020 in Wallasey, England. Moving forward into the future, it seems to me that the strategy is putting more and more stress and responsibility on the customer, Assemblymember Vince Fong, a Republican from Bakersfield, told state agencies at a joint legislative hearing in November. Californians may need to take measures to conserve energy, including by avoiding charging electric vehicles, to prevent strain to the state's power grid over the Labor Day weekend, officials saida week after state regulators voted on a plan to ban the sale of gasoline-powered cars. Through optimized charging, electric cars can be used to balance that intermittency by acting like a giant batteryabsorbing renewable power when theres a surplus, and injecting some of that power back into the grid if its needed at a later time, a concept known as vehicle-to-grid.. The assessment shows we must now scale up our installation efforts, building out our charging network in order for electric vehicle adoption to be as seamless as possible. Youll love it here, we promise. At the zip code level, for every additional 20 ZEVs per 1,000 people, there was a 3.2% drop in the rate of asthma-related emergency visits and a small suggestive reduction in NO2 levels. By one estimate, California would need to be generating 50% more electricity than it is today if all cars were plug-ins. During the day, the Lancaster, Calif. facility's batteries are charged up by nearby solar panels. Californias EV mandate followed by Flex Alerts raises a broader climate policy issue. Many current electric vehicle owners who are used to charging their vehicles overnight may need to shift their charging behaviors to optimize daylight hours, when more energy generated by solar and wind is accessible. Whats more, owners are able to schedule when they need their car to be fully charged. By 2030, about 1.2 million chargers will be needed for 8 million vehicles, according to a state report. Thats a behavioral and technological question that we really dont know the answers to, Victor said. They may be able to buy a new gas-powered vehicle out of state, although chances are high that other states and the nation as a whole may pass similar laws, the way that Canada, England, Germany, France, Israel, India and other countries have.. Sam Lafoca/Construction Photography/Avalon/Getty Images. Powering the vehicles means the state must triple the amount of electricity produced and deploy new solar and wind energy at almost five times the pace of the past decade. Should governments ensure an uninterrupted electricity supply before they mandate a switch to EVs? The California Public Utilities Commission in 2015 ordered states investor-owned utilities San Diego Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric to transition its residential customers to rate plans that offer lower pricing during off-peak hours. The construction of the North Sea Super Grid is the major step towards meetingthe future demand for electric power transmission in northern Europe. Thats why California needs a robust clean energy deployment plan and to assign a lead agency rather than relying on piecemeal strategies, he said. Fermata Energy says that its proprietary V2G system can turn EVs into mobile energy storage assets, making it possible for owners to combat climate change, increase energy resilience and reduce energy costs.. Phone numbers were never meant to protect or identify us, but we use them to do that all the time. (California also continues to have the nations worst air quality, ostensibly a major reason for the aggressive action against emissions. In summary. The Governors proposed 202122 budget includes $500 million to help fill the gap and ensure essential infrastructure arrives as more Californians go electric. But also, the experience is just way more positive if you have the authority to put in an overnight charging plug.". Californias EV announcement came at an unfortunate time because the state soon thereafter experienced a heatwave. Its one thing to be able to afford an EV, and its another thing to be able to afford the extra equipment.. He reports: Californias grid problem is pretty easily fixed, many experts say. Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing and changing us. These sorts of initiatives could be scaled up. Wind power tends to be stronger in the ocean than on land, making it valuable during times when renewables like traditional wind and solar cant produce enough energy. Some car owners may not want to use the technology because they worry that it could affect their car batterys life. Critics say more plug-in cars will strain the power grid. Build solar and wind at an unprecedented pace: Shifting to all renewables requires at least 6 gigawatts of new resources a year for the next 25 years a pace thats never been met before. Recall, the state had to institute rolling blackouts in 2020, well before the EV mandate that will substantially increase electricity demand. Join the Ars Orbital Transmission mailing list to get weekly updates delivered to your inbox. In most of the country, the power grid isnt set up for something like this (simply put, the car and the grid dont know how to talk to each other). End-To-End Success: How To Effectively Build, Manage And Measure Customer Journeys, Streamlining Interstate Transmission of Electricity Act, 20% of Americas electricity and half of its clean energy. And, by working with battery OEMs, B2U is getting access to a number of batteries that never spent much time in cars. TOPSHOT - A driver charges his electric vehicle at a charging station as the California Independent [+] System Operator announced a statewide electricity Flex Alert urging conservation to avoid blackouts in Monterey Park, California on August 31, 2022. Californians may need to take measures to conserve energy, including by avoiding charging electric vehicles, to prevent strain to the state's power grid over the "These batteries work very well," Hall told Ars. On August 25, California announced a ban on the sale of new gasoline vehicles by 2035. Currently, about 80,000 public chargers operate statewide, with another estimated 17,000 on the way, according to state data. Thereport notes that theCalifornia Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project(CALeVIP), the states incentive program for EV chargers, is oversubscribed by hundreds of millions of dollars, demonstrating strong market and consumer demand for public funding. There are other sort of industry growing pains where you get some batteries that are produced that don't quite meet specs for automotive use that can still be used for stationary storage. Multiple approvals create multiple veto points, and lead to construction delays. B2U. California's power operator wants residents to avoid charging electric vehicles at certain hours through Labor Day to ease the stress on the power grid amid extreme heat and high demand. Vehicle-grid integration (VGI) refers to technologies, policies, and strategies for electric vehicle (EV) charging which alter the time, power level, or location of the charging (or discharging) in a manner that benefits the grid while still meeting drivers mobility needs. Background. Scott Adams faces 'consequence culture' as U.S. newspapers drop Dilbert, Tom Cruise's 'ditching' of Suri showcased by Judd Apatow's 'co-parenting' joke, ex-Scientology exec says. Current offshore wind turbines off the East Coast are fixed to the ocean floor in shallow waters. California has one of the cleanest grids in the country, with more than 15,000 megawatts of installed solar capacity. Driving the news: B2U Storage Solutions' Sierra facility has reached 25MWh of solar storage capacity using second-life EV batteries from Honda and Nissan, the company announced Tuesday. Now Meta and Twitter want your money, too. California wants to achieve net zero emissions in its electricity sector by 2045. Part of the issue is that the grid might not be ready for energy to flow in the opposite direction than it normally does. Experts, including those at the ISO (Independent System Operator), the agency that runs the grid, say that the state Public Utilities Commission needs to require utilities like PG&E to sign more contracts with power generators to ensure they have enough electricity, even during extreme heat waves like we had during last months two days of blackouts. Claim: CA Asked Electric Vehicle Owners To Avoid Charging Their Cars newsletter. counties.). By 2030, about 1.2 million chargers will be needed for 8 million vehicles, according to a state report. Its when we have those peak hours during those tough months.. The construction of the North Sea Super Grid is the major step towards meetingthe future demand for electric power transmission in northern Europe. (Photo by Frederic J. At the zip code level, for every additional 20 ZEVs per 1,000 people, there was a 3.2% drop in the rate of asthma-related emergency visits and a small suggestive reduction in NO2 levels. Technological challenges: Despite its potential benefits, V2G technology faces some technological challenges, including the need to develop new standards and protocols for communication between EVs and the grid, and the need for new charging infrastructure. Benefits for the energy grid: V2G technology can help The aerial view of a solar farm in Simi Valley is photographed in California. Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology allows for energy to be sent from the vehicle back into the grid or building as needed. These numbers fall short of the states goal of 250,000 chargers by 54,000 installations. Planning them, obtaining an array of permits and construction could take at least seven to eight years. The ability for drivers to be flexible with when and how they charge their vehicles is another reason Moniot said widespread access to chargers will be crucial. Assemblymember Luz Rivas, a Democrat from the San Fernando Valley, said low-income communities near the gas plants will continue to suffer the most if the state keeps extending their retirement dates. General Motors and Pacific Gas and Electric this week announced a joint pilot program to test ways GMs electric vehicles could help the California utilitys customers keep the lights on, either by providing backup power to homes during blackouts or feeding energy back into the grid when demand is especially high. One might ask: why is the US able to quickly build gas pipelines but not high voltage transmission lines? Youre absolutely right that we need a long-term strategy for making sure we can get through the peaks with clean resources, he told legislators. The Navy has not been spared either. But in this case, the source of the batteries was unusual: Many of them had spent an earlier life powering electric vehicles. Utilities will have to sway them with cheaper rates and other incentives for it to work. Sacramento, CA 95814, Contact Us | DirectionsLanguage Services Critics say more plug-in cars will strain the power grid. Heres why theyre wrong. California is doubling down on electric vehicles (EVs). Critics say more plug-in cars will strain the power grid. Heres why theyre wrong. Nissan LEAF charging in California, by Kyle Field, CleanTechnica. Originally published on Nexus Media News. "If every car has to be electric, we really need to have solutions for individuals that don't have this more reliable parking situation at night," Moniot said.