Ev charging in the next 1-2 years

[positiv]

Think the operators want to get rid of CL and flat fee altogether and move everyone to ToU or ToU + Demand.

Yeah I think that's their intention. But without CL during times of grid overload grid operators then would be unable to disconnect EV chargers. That seems like an enormous backwards step. I'd much rather my car stop charging and my hot water stop heating than a blackout.
The other problem is that ToU tariffs don't work - users don't change consumption habits and end up just paying more for electricity than on a standard tariff. But that's a discussion for elsewhere.

 

[moa999]

Given what people in petrol cars do to save a few cents, I think ToU will work for electric cars, particularly as in most cars it's fairly simple and doesn't really impact your life.

Whereas not turning on the A/c, tv or starting to cook dinner until 10pm has a far more direct impact.

From at least what seems to be happening in the UK they may well have some separate requirement for signalling to EV chargers.

 

[Shock-On-T]

Of course, without equivalent storage capacity generation capacity isn’t a useful metric.

In these early stages the grid can usually soak up what renewables generate in real-time.
As volatile renewables become a bigger and bigger part of the generating mix the storage will become more and more important, but even now generation capacity is a useful metric.

 

[Shock-On-T]

I really want to see initiatives from grid companies to install EV chargers at a discount, or free, provided they go onto Controlled Load 2.

Controlled Load 2 is usually energised, except between the hours of 7am-9am and 5pm-8pm on weekdays, and whenever the grid is struggling. It's something a sparky sets up once & the user doesn't have to care about or be educated about. And it's cheaper than standard power.

Or maybe maybe set up a hypothetical controlled load 3 - something with a greater discount for fewer hours per day - only energising when the grid is in a very healthy or an oversupply state.

This can already be done.
You can wire any load to CL2 so long as it is permanently connected (not switchable), and EV charging infrastructure is specifically named as allowable load. The car is downstream and irrelevant, the charger itself is always connected.

Note that this means that the charger won't be powered outside CL2 hours, but there is a workaround where you can wire a circuit that switches the charger to the CL2 circuit only when it detects current in that circuit (ie. effectively uses CL2 when available, and normal load when not).

Bottom of page 28 here:

https://www.ausgrid.com.au/-/media/Documents/Technical-Documentation/ES/ES7-Network-Price-Guide.pdf

 

[Shock-On-T]

The other problem is that ToU tariffs don't work - users don't change consumption habits and end up just paying more for electricity than on a standard tariff.

Agreed, that is the real problem. It barely drives behavour changes, just increases prices when people use power the most.
The vast majority of people literally don't understand how they are billed for electricity. They don't know they are charged by the kWh. The don't know how much a kWh costs, or how many they use.

 

[Vostok]

The other problem is that ToU tariffs don't work - users don't change consumption habits and end up just paying more for electricity than on a standard tariff. But that's a discussion for elsewhere.

Well anyone who actually looks at their ToU bill should be reconsidering their consumption habits!

People with EVs should be very aware of demand shifting, and people with house batteries even more so…. ToU is definitely cheaper than constant tariff.

 

[PC__LoadLetter]

Well anyone who actually looks at their ToU bill should be reconsidering their consumption habits!

Not a sustainable long term option. I’m an energy miser (chest fridge, no air con, electric throw rugs) and I don’t expect others to do as I do.

People with EVs should be very aware of demand shifting, and people with house batteries even more so…. ToU is definitely cheaper than constant tariff.

Early adopters, sure. Everyone else just needs an option they can set and forget. And ideally with a mechanism for someone to prompt them & offer to help, if they haven’t set it, or if it drops off somehow.