G&M: Are our power grids ready for an electric vehicle surge?

[wayner]

A fairly well-informed article on EV charging and the grid:

Are our power grids ready for an electric vehicle surge?

The conclusion:

Quite frankly, handling an EV boom shouldn’t cripple utilities as long as they can plan for it, Clairman says.

“These are all problems that can be solved,” Clairman says. “But a lot of people get an EV and plug it in and never contact their utility, just like they never did when they put in a hot tub or a pool – you have to let them know.”

 

[darkenergy]

Anyone who has a sub for G&M should probably jump on the FUD stream in the comments of that article. The usual misinformation and fear mongering.

 

[wayner]

I have been doing my best under my G&M id.

 

[richyrich]

Anyone who has a sub for G&M should probably jump on the FUD stream in the comments of that article. The usual misinformation and fear mongering.

Yep the mainstream press stoop even lower. Why not make the title "Research shows that the grid can handle growing use of EVs"? No, instead they go with the clickbait, worry-inducing FUD. Given that most people probably won't read far beyond the title, this is not even "journalism" right from the off.

And what on earth is the last bit about needing to contact your electricity provider? When I was getting an EV and trying to figure out my service upgrade I asked Hydro One here in Ontario if there's any programs or incentives I should know about - woman on the phone was clueless. They don't care. All they will care about is finding a way to ramp the prices and gouge us once EV usage increases.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

And what on earth is the last bit about needing to contact your electricity provider? When I was getting an EV and trying to figure out my service upgrade I asked Hydro One here in Ontario if there's any programs or incentives I should know about - woman on the phone was clueless. They don't care. All they will care about is finding a way to ramp the prices and gouge us once EV usage increases.

They utility knows how much spare capacity there is in the local infrastructure. When you add significant extra demand peaks, especially continuous demand, you should contact your utility. The extra demand may require an infrastructural upgrade. People here have had their utility upgrade an old transformer.

 

[richyrich]

They utility knows how much spare capacity there is in the local infrastructure. When you add significant extra demand peaks, especially continuous demand, you should contact your utility. The extra demand may require an infrastructural upgrade.

Well when I called and spoke to them they had no interest whatsoever. Maybe it's just a Hydro One thing, wouldn't surprise me at all.

 

[martind3]

Hydro Ottawa is doing a pilot project with Flo to help determine the load and what changes to infrastructure may be needed to support EVs

 

[wayner]

One reason for your local utility to know that you have an EV is if they do any reporting around your energy usage and comparing you to people in your neighbourhood. I got such a report from Toronto Hydro showing that I was in the top 1% of electricity users in my neighbourhood which implied that I am an energy hog and that I am not very green.

But this ignores the fact that (1) I own an EV which means my carbon footprint is quite low as I am not burning any gasoline, and (2) I have solar panels through the microFIT program so that I am reducing my carbon footprint and net electricity usage by selling power back into the grid (albeit at a very nice premium!)