Finally got PTO, looking for advice on rate plan and EV charging

[hedgefundie]

Hello! Hedgefundie here.

I finally got my PTO today from PG&E, and being totally new to solar, would like to get the community’s advice on how to optimize my rate plan and EV charging.

my situation:

PG&E and Peninsula Clean Energy CCA which gives me retail TOU credit (plus 1 cent / kWh) for excess production
4 kW panels
EV-2A plan

Now, I have two questions:

1. I see most people charging their EVs at night, but with a TOU rate plan, doesn’t it make sense to charge during the morning until the 3pm when the peak rate kicks in? This way you are using your own generation without drawing from the grid at all for your EV.

2. I am expecting that my system is slightly undersized for my annual usage. Does this change the answer to #1?

thank you!

 

[AxlxA]

You're talking about using the solar generation during off peak time to charge your car? Yes but your system size is too small(same as me) to charge at full speed. So you might not reach your desired charge rate strictly off solar.

But you can charge at regular speed if you're willing to use solar and grid to give you the 8kw at home. That will be the optimal scenario given your case.

No powerwalls right? So can't arbitrage the rates that I do on EV2-A plan.

Secondly, you'd want solar generation to go to grid during peak times. Which is 3pm according to your statement.

 

[NorCalSlrUser]

1. Using as much during the periods of generation is best to avoid NBC of $0.03/kwh.

2. If your system is only slightly undersized you may benefit from switching to TOU-C or TOU-D since there is very small difference between peak and not peak.

3. Otherwise with EV-2A, you are correct you should try to use as much off peak since peak is 3x price and you'd have little production in peak times.

What is your current average rate? The higher it is, the more sense it would make to switch to the other plans.

 

[astrorob]

i don't have any NBCs (still NEM1) but without powerwalls my analysis (and PGE's website) said that i should be on E-TOU-C after i get kicked off of EV-A. i've owned 1 full electric car since 2011 and had solar since 2015. our total consumption has been around 11-12KWh per year.

adding powerwalls changed the calculus a lot. turns out EV2 is about 20% cheaper (again, for my situation) than E-TOU-C when you factor in the load shifting the powerwalls can do in cost-saving mode.

unfortunately without all of your consumption data (and putative solar generation) it's hard to do this analysis.