PG&E to build 25k charging stations in central/northern California

Higher efficiency lighting and appliances means utilities need new markets and plug-ins would do it. Best of all, after hours to absorb the excess, evening and night capacity.

Bob Wilson

 

cali gets all the good stuff...

 

PG&E is the energy company for CA and more. Ever hear about the San Bruno pipeline fire in Sept. 2010? All had to do with PG&E.

 

This is a step in right direction to make electric mainstream. Now, if you could only charge car in 5 minutes and charge would last for a few hundred miles...

 

stay tuned.

 

If only gasoline wasn't a flammable pollutant and toxin...

 

and we had an endless supply...

 

and EVs were not a pipe dream..

 

it's aint all a bowel of cherries here;



Let's not forget our huge electricity usage is in large part, hydro. No H20 - no electricity.
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doesn't seem to be slowing anyone down.

 

Believe it or not, I think the Prius has as much to do with the appearance of charging stations around here as much as anything else. In the last year, I've noticed a large increase in the number of Prius taxis, and even though most of them aren't plug-in vehicles, I think they have raised the public awareness about electric vehicles to the point where it's becoming a bit of a fad among businesses who want to appear eco-socially-conscious. I'm not complaining of course, as the owner of a plug-in hybrid, but what else can account for this in a region where oil & gas is king?

 

PG&E is a truelly awful utility, that I had the misfortune of using for a year. They were one of the forces behind the california electricity deregulations, which caused black outs and eventually PG&E's bankrupcy and bail our by california tax payers and rate payers. It exemplifies public risk private profit.

I doubt that these 25,000 charging stations will do much good but it is far from the worst thing management and the california PUC have done. Probably 2000 well placed stations are needed IMHO.

CA Electric Utility Applies To Build 25,000 Electric-Car Charging Stations

My guess is it will be more like $1.50/mo for the average customer ($18/year) most of whom will see no benefit.

 

There aren't many monopolies who can resist the temptation to treat their customers like fish in a barrel.

 

The CPUC (California Public Utilities Commission) recently reversed their decision preventing public utility companies from investing in electric vehicle charging. As a result, both PD&G and SCE are preparing plans to significantly expand charging stations in California. SCE is proposing an additional 30,000 chargers over the course of the next 5 years. Chargepoint is already complaining about worries over monopolies forcing them out of business, and they do have valid arguments about worries over pricing from PD&G and SCE, but only time will tell how it works out. Regardless, a significant increase in the number of public chargers would be amazing for California. Yes, it's likely we'll have "200 mile range EVs" in the next "3-5 years", but if they come along with a $7.5-10k increase in price, perhaps having more chargers will more significantly impact the EV purchasing experience.

Source: State Commission Ruling Allows Electric Utilities to Invest in Electric Car Charging | Edison International

 

So will these electric charging stations out number hydrogen stations by 3 or 4 orders of magnitude?

Bob Wilson

 

More like an order of 3,000 to 4,000 magnitude
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Well I was trying not to count every 120VAC outlet in the USA.

Bob Wilson

 

SF Chronicles take with comments
PG&E wants ratepayers to foot bill for 25,000 car chargers - San Francisco Chronicle

In other words the more PG&E spends the highr profit the PUC gives it. There is no incentive for PG&E to make sure the stations are put in proper areas, or to keep cost down. When it costs PG&E more to implement, they will simply charge customers for the oost over runs plus a healthy percentage for profit.

All but 100 are L2 chargers. I say its extremely doubtful that there is a need for that many L2 chargers, or that it really gets rid of range anxiety. I absolutely thnk PG&E wants to control the market, especially since the less efficient it is, the more they can charge rate payers and profit. Best comment iMHO

 

The "goal" from CPUC for california is 100 hydrogen stations by 2024, and if we count PG&Es estimates 100,000 chargers for 60% of california that works out to 166,667 L2 and L3 chargers. That is 2 or 3 orders of magnitude as each hydrogen station is equivalent to more than one charger.

California has more plug-in cars on the road today than experts expect in fuel cell vehicles in 2024.