Utilities say grid can handle rechargeable cars

[Rybold]

Utilities say grid can handle rechargeable cars
"Automakers, such as General Motors Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp., are planning to bring rechargeable vehicles to the market as early as 2010. But speakers at the Plug-In 2008 conference say...
"We see the vehicle penetration levels coming at a rate that's manageable," said Efrain Ornelas, environmental technical supervisor with Pacific Gas and Electric Co. in San Francisco. "It's not like tomorrow the flood gates are going to open and 100,000 vehicles are going to come into San Francisco."
Most electric cars will likely be charged during off-peak times. In California, PG&E charges 30 cents per kilowatt hour to charge an electric vehicle during peak hours, he said, but charges only 5 cents from midnight to 7 a.m.
"Industry officials say they can manage the fleet changeover [even easier if] the cars and the utilities each have computers in place to manage when the cars are recharged."
Utilities say grid can handle rechargeable cars: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

[Wiyosaya]

Its about time that the news media is catching on to this, and about time that utilities realize that they have the extra capacity. A November, 2007 Pacific Northwest National Laboratory report concluded the exact same thing. You may read the report here.

I am also attaching a copy of the report.

I think the report is extremely interesting in that it says that there is enough power on the grid to power 86% of all vehicles in the US, and that doing so would displace 53% of foreign oil imports. It boggles my mind why the government has done little to jump on this and make it a priority.

[jammin012]

Funny how they can't support the grid as it is.

[thepolarcrew]

I am kind of cynical when it comes to big business. Maybe part of the problem has been that the big 3+ can produce vehicles that get high mpg, but haven't figured out how they can develope a plug they can keep track of how much you charge and where, so they can collect.

With a standard plug end a person could plug and go, like a drive off. You can pull into a lot of hotels and access wireless, why not electricity?

[Godiva]

Well, at some point the hotels (probably the better ones) will be offering free recharge as well as free wifi.

And the articles are absolutely right. It's off peak because the is significantly less demand from midnight to 7 am. But....the electricity is still produced. Wasted if you will. So recharging is perfect. It actually is better for the grid.

[mingoglia]

Originally Posted by Godiva

Well, at some point the hotels (probably the better ones) will be offering free recharge as well as free wifi.

And the articles are absolutely right. It's off peak because the is significantly less demand from midnight to 7 am. But....the electricity is still produced. Wasted if you will. So recharging is perfect. It actually is better for the grid.

I'd imagine however unless there are timers that don't start charging until a certain time that most will begin charging their electrical vehicles around 6-6:30 PM when they get home from work. I know here in AZ the hottest part of the day is during this time so we're still at peak due to A/C demand.

[darelldd]

Originally Posted by Wiyosaya

and about time that utilities realize that they have the extra capacity.

Utilities have known this and have been saying this since the production EVs of the mid-90's. What we get from the press and the public, however, are comments such as:

Funny how they can't support the grid as it is.

Considering what is asked of the grid, and how it is today a big patch-work - the grid is amazingly stable, and is clearly oure most efficient and cost-effective way to distribute energy in this country. You can't find a distrubution system that works any better or cheaper. Imagine how great it would be to haul truckloads of electricity from where it was made to where it will be used...

Anyway - we have the energy, and we have the ways to continue to make it cleaner. Once everybody is on-board, and the oil lobby gets a wee bit weaker, there will be no stopping transportation electrification.

[darelldd]

Originally Posted by mingoglia

I'd imagine however unless there are timers that don't start charging until a certain time that most will begin charging their electrical vehicles around 6-6:30 PM when they get home from work. I know here in AZ the hottest part of the day is during this time so we're still at peak due to A/C demand.

Time-delay charging was standard in the production EVs of the 90's, and will certainly play a big role in any electric transportation going forward. In this day of time-shifting everything we do (read TiVo) there's simply no concern about plugging in during peak times. It will be cost-prohibitive to do so, so it will rarely be done. What's crazy is that people are running AC during the peak time. That should have a higher cost associated with it as well...

[mingoglia]

Originally Posted by darelldd

Time-delay charging was standard in the production EVs of the 90's, and will certainly play a big role in any electric transportation going forward. In this day of time-shifting everything we do (read TiVo) there's simply no concern about plugging in during peak times. It will be cost-prohibitive to do so, so it will rarely be done. What's crazy is that people are running AC during the peak time. That should have a higher cost associated with it as well...

That answers my question. I should have assumed there was a time-delay option...after all, my dishwasher even has this option.

Some people have to run their AC during peak time unfortunately. It'll be dark at 8:30 PM here in AZ and still be 112 degrees. It's an interesting feeling coming home at 2am on a Saturday night, look at the temp gauge, and it still reads 104.

[alanh]

I'm also in Phoenix. For what it's worth, I do pay more for electricity during peak hours.