Quote:
Originally Posted by cowmeat
The downside is that as EVs become more mainstream we will eventually lose the super-low rates we currently see from charging during the off-peak hours overnight. The more cars charging at night, the more the overnight demand will rise on the grid, and that will directly affect the cost of charging at night
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That's probably not accurate, or at least only a temporary problem.
Primary generators are cheap to run, which is why off-peak energy is so cheap. There will always be an off-peak, since by definition it's the low demand part of the day. If demand rises for off-peak energy, primary generating capacity will be expanded.
Peaking generators are more expensive to run, and this is why peak rates are higher than off-peak. It wouldn't make sense to always be using peaking generators to supply off-peak energy.
There was a pilot test done in SF where EV owners installed an app on their phone. Through the app, the utility could ask the customer if they were willing to delay charging during peak demand.
It would be relatively simple to develop a system where consumers input charging parameters relating to how much time they need to charge a vehicle, and what hours it will be connected to the grid. The utility could then balance the demand by scheduling charging to both meet the needs of the customer, and place a steady draw on the grid. The customer could override the utility if needed, but there would be incentives to participate, such as lower energy rates.
If anything, EVs should help balance grid consumption which would reduce production costs.