CPUC EV Submetering Pilot Program Phase 2 - Anyone participating?

[Az_Rael]

I participated through Emoterwerks for Phase 1 with SCE and just got an email about phase 2. Phase 1 was a bit of a disaster with them originally promising a free $600 Juicebox for signing up, then eventually just giving us a $100 wattbox instead, then messing up my billing and charging me more than needed.

Got the notice that they are doing a phase 2 of the program. Here is SCE's info: EV Submeter Pilot Program | Electric Vehicle Rates | Electric Vehicles | Your Home | Home - SCE


It looks like the only benefit I would get is being able to charge for the "cheap" rate of .14c/kWh during a longer period from 9PM to noon vs 10PM to 8AM. That might benefit me occasionally, although I would need to work up the numbers as to how much.

I am definitely not doing it with emotorwerks again - they even said the equipment they provided for phase 1 was not approved for phase 2. I would have to buy a $849 EVSE from them and maybe get $400 off at some later date. No thanks.

Chargepoint is participating this time, so I might contact them to see what their plan is.

Edit: found the Chargepoint information for the program here: ChargePoint

 

[AEdennis]

I participated through Emoterwerks for Phase 1 with SCE and just got an email about phase 2. Phase 1 was a bit of a disaster with them originally promising a free $600 Juicebox for signing up, then eventually just giving us a $100 wattbox instead, then messing up my billing and charging me more than needed.

Got the notice that they are doing a phase 2 of the program. Here is SCE's info: EV Submeter Pilot Program | Electric Vehicle Rates | Electric Vehicles | Your Home | Home - SCE


It looks like the only benefit I would get is being able to charge for the "cheap" rate of .14c/kWh during a longer period from 9PM to noon vs 10PM to 8AM. That might benefit me occasionally, although I would need to work up the numbers as to how much.

I am definitely not doing it with emotorwerks again - they even said the equipment they provided for phase 1 was not approved for phase 2. I would have to buy a $849 EVSE from them and maybe get $400 off at some later date. No thanks.

Chargepoint is participating this time, so I might contact them to see what their plan is.

Edit: found the Chargepoint information for the program here: ChargePoint

Are you on solar too?

 

[Az_Rael]

Are you on solar too?

No, I am not. I actually have no idea why a solar customer would sign up, since it pulls your car charging out of your netmetering. Maybe folks who have very undersized systems?

I ran some numbers, and since I am already on a TOU plan, all I would save is $5/month, so it doesnt look worth the hassle for me.

 

[AEdennis]

No, I am not. I actually have no idea why a solar customer would sign up, since it pulls your car charging out of your netmetering. Maybe folks who have very undersized systems?

I ran some numbers, and since I am already on a TOU plan, all I would save is $5/month, so it doesnt look worth the hassle for me.

That's what I surmised (I'm on solar)

 

[BrokerDon]

We also participated in EV Submetering Phase 1 via an eMotorWerks WattBox. Worked great an provided us significantly longer SCE TOU-EV-1 Off-Peak charging hours than our TOU-D-B household plan.

Needless to say we were also supremely disappointed that EV Submetering Phase 2 excluded our already installed WattBox... and required all new equipment. Horrible move by CPUC... and another example of government waste.

 

[Az_Rael]

We also participated in EV Submetering Phase 1 via an eMotorWerks WattBox. Worked great an provided us significantly longer SCE TOU-EV-1 Off-Peak charging hours than our TOU-D-B household plan.

Needless to say we were also supremely disappointed that EV Submetering Phase 2 excluded our already installed WattBox... and required all new equipment. Horrible move by CPUC... and another example of government waste.

Well, considering the wattbox was not accurate enough for correctly billing, I am glad it didnt make the cut for Phase 2. At least on SCE, we had tons of problems and ended up getting reimbursed by emotorwerks for the higher charges we incurred when the system charged wattbox kWh on our house account during peak rates.

If you are also on SCE, you may have been billed incorrectly as well, and just didnt know it. The whole thing was pretty shady.

 

[ddimit]

We also participated in EV Submetering Phase 1 via an eMotorWerks WattBox. Worked great an provided us significantly longer SCE TOU-EV-1 Off-Peak charging hours than our TOU-D-B household plan.

Needless to say we were also supremely disappointed that EV Submetering Phase 2 excluded our already installed WattBox... and required all new equipment. Horrible move by CPUC... and another example of government waste.

Same reason i'm not going to participate. I think they hare having problems finding people for phase 2 due to the high cost of the level 2 charger they are requiring you to buy.

 

[Az_Rael]

Same reason i'm not going to participate. I think they hare having problems finding people for phase 2 due to the high cost of the level 2 charger they are requiring you to buy.

Yes, the chargepoint charger that is approved for the program is $749. You do get $400 towards that, but half doesn't come until the end of the program. I might be tempted to upgrade my clippercreek to gain scheduled charging, web tracking, etc, but I am not sure its worth it.

 

[miimura]

eMotorWerks recently announced a partnership with AeroVironment which brings their JuiceNet platform to AV's EVSE-RS. eMotorWerks' web site also has a new page for the Submetering Pilot featuring the AV EVSE-RS solution.

AeroVironment and eMotorWerks Combine Forces To Provide Smart Charging Solutions
California Electric Vehicle Pilot

 

[Ampster]

I participated in phase one for a month until I found out my solar Cumulative credit did not apply to the sub meter. It was a waste of money but I still use the Watt box to get a sense for how much energy my Tesla is using.

 

[miimura]

I participated in phase one for a month until I found out my solar Cumulative credit did not apply to the sub meter. It was a waste of money but I still use the Watt box to get a sense for how much energy my Tesla is using.

I was surprised at the number of people who didn't understand that. I even specifically told one guy that he would have to pay for the Sub-Metered use outside his solar true-up (he over generates too) and he signed up anyway.

The most compelling use for sub-metering is for people who live inland and use a lot of A/C. Keeping the house on a non-TOU plan and getting cheap EV charging through sub-metering can save you a lot of money in that situation.

 

[Ampster]

I was surprised at the number of people who didn't understand that.

The worse part is I talked a friend into doing it too.

 

[toolworker]

I signed up for Phase 2 through eMotorWerks. I have solar and Marin Clean Energy, a CCA. Based on my 2016 true-up, where I owed PG&E $300 for distribution but got paid $230 for generation by MCE, I figured it'd be a win - reduce the PG&E bill and still get paid by MCE.

But that was on the old E-7 rate, where PG&E overpriced generation to make the CCAs pay more for solar.

After I signed up, the 2017 true-up came, and that year was on E-6. PG&E's charges were still positive but under the minimum charge. 2018 should be similar. So I will pay PG&E for submeter usage that would have been free if left on the household account, as commented above.

So I will probably drop out. At least I got the cool JuiceNet EVSE and broke even after rebates and selling my old one.

 

[BrokerDon]

I signed up for Phase 2 through eMotorWerks. I have solar and Marin Clean Energy, a CCA. Based on my 2016 true-up, where I owed PG&E $300 for distribution but got paid $230 for generation by MCE, I figured it'd be a win - reduce the PG&E bill and still get paid by MCE.

But that was on the old E-7 rate, where PG&E overpriced generation to make the CCAs pay more for solar.

After I signed up, the 2017 true-up came, and that year was on E-6. PG&E's charges were still positive but under the minimum charge. 2018 should be similar. So I will pay PG&E for submeter usage that would have been free if left on the household account, as commented above.

So I will probably drop out. At least I got the cool JuiceNet EVSE and broke even after rebates and selling my old one.

We had a similar experience with the WattBox eMotorWerks provided us almost free for EV Submetering Pilot Program Phase 1. The SCE EV-1 pricing we received for our Tesla that the WattBox sub-metered was basically the same as if we'd charged on SCE TOU-D-B. Only advantage with EV-1 was expanded Off-Peak hours which we only took advantage of once. Other advantage of Phase 1 WattBox was OhmConnect "points" which we used to purchase 10 Wiser Smart Plugs + 1 Wiser Coordinator which OhmConnect turned off selected switches during OhmHours. However OhmConnect changed their points system so in spite of our aggressive power savings during OhmHours we didn't earn any points... so we cancelled OhmConnect. Biggest benefit of Phase 1 was getting EXACT Tesla power usage from our Wattbox... which we continue to use.

Sadly SCE cancelled Phase 1 months before starting Phase 2... then excluded our WattBox for absolutely no good reason. IMHO the CPUC has really fumbled an AWESOME opportunity to implement a great Demand Response Program which could definitely level out grid demand... but they've made the EV Submetering Pilot Program Phase 1 & 2 so bureaucratic and complicated the net result is lame.

 

[Ampster]

Sadly SCE cancelled Phase 1 months before starting Phase 2... then excluded our WattBox for absolutely no good reason. IMHO the CPUC has really fumbled an AWESOME opportunity to implement a great Demand Response Program which could definitely level out grid demand... but they've made the EV Submetering Pilot Program Phase 1 & 2 so bureaucratic and complicated the net result is lame.

I am in the same boat as you. I cancelled Phase 1 after the first bill. I am still on Ohm Connect and found that I can use Ohm Hours to tell my Tesla to not charge. It will probably never happen because Ohm Hours are usually during the neck of the duck curve and I don't schedule my charging until Off peak hours (after 10PM).
I agree with your comments that SCE fumbled a great opportunity to implement a great Demand Response Program. I would happily charge my Tesla, run my dryer and my heat pump water heater during the morning hours when renewables are being curtailed if there was a program for that.

 

[Wattever]

I was surprised at the number of people who didn't understand that. I even specifically told one guy that he would have to pay for the Sub-Metered use outside his solar true-up (he over generates too) and he signed up anyway.

The most compelling use for sub-metering is for people who live inland and use a lot of A/C. Keeping the house on a non-TOU plan and getting cheap EV charging through sub-metering can save you a lot of money in that situation.