PG&E Rate Schedules: "Home Charging" (EV2-A) Goes Live vs. Others

[miimura]

Ok I get it now, even thought that's not fair, what can we do right. In your opinion which is the best now, E TOU A or EV2-A?

Which rate plan is best for a given customer depends a lot on the usage pattern and amount of solar and batteries available. You also have to consider what happens throughout the whole year. Unless you get an EV and go on that plan, you can only change rate plans once a year. Given that you appear to have significant net consumption even in the Summer when solar production is high, you may be better off on EV2-A if you can avoid significant Peak usage. However, if you have a lot of A/C usage in the Summer, it's hard to figure. If you just recently got solar, the PG&E rate comparison tool won't be of any use.

 

[Nosken]

If you have an iPhone, this app will show you how your usage compare across all rates.
‎My PG&E Toolkit Lite

 

[bmah]

Moderator note: Moved discussion of ashes and solar panel cleaning to a new thread:

Wildfires, ash, and cleaning rooftop solar panels

Bruce.

 

[h2ofun]

Estimator gave me the exact same numbers... under the old EV rate my bill was about $600-$700 a year. I moved back to the E-1 rate effective today -- if I'm not going to be rewarded for micromanaging use by hour, I might as well just go back to tiers. Also, the peak price is so high with EV2-A (48 cents!!!!!!) that there's a huge risk in driving the bill way up if we need the AC for an hour or need to roast a chicken in the oven.

I think the new EV2-A rate only makes sense for those with battery storage where they can sell electricity back at that higher rate. For the rest of us, or at least for me, it's a raw deal. It's yet another example of how CPUC and our "regulators" are in the back pocket of PG&E and not looking out for consumers.

How does your comment EV2-a makes sense for battery storage where you can sell electricity back at a higher rate? Battery storage cannot be export back to the grid?

 

[Janus]

How does your comment EV2-a makes sense for battery storage where you can sell electricity back at a higher rate? Battery storage cannot be export back to the grid?

First, you're correct about battery export. Because the Tesla Gateway monitors both house usage and solar production, it does a "trick" to stay within the regs, while still allowing both h2ofun and goldengate statements true. Basically, during peak pricing, the battery will discharge at a rate equal to the house's internal usage rate; while the solar continues to produce energy and "export" to the grid. Allowing all solar generation to go towards the highest payout from the utility. The battery never exports to the grid, it simply provides for all the home's electrical needs.

 

[badstink]

First, you're correct about battery export. Because the Tesla Gateway monitors both house usage and solar production, it does a "trick" to stay within the regs, while still allowing both h2ofun and goldengate statements true. Basically, during peak pricing, the battery will discharge at a rate equal to the house's internal usage rate; while the solar continues to produce energy and "export" to the grid. Allowing all solar generation to go towards the highest payout from the utility. The battery never exports to the grid, it simply provides for all the home's electrical needs.

I played around with my Powerwall settings and found that if you select time-based control and set Energy Exports = Everything then it will export both solar and battery to grid.