Powerwall and Net Metering?

[Ampster]

Maybe non related question but is there any sort of change that TOU may go away for existing rate holders?

From what I understand from reading CPUC rulings, TOU rates will become the only rates available in a few years. Even small homeowners will have to be on a TOU rate. At least that is the trend in California. TOU rates benefit solar generators and those that can shift their loads.

 

[Ampster]

As I recall, you have a Radian and are on SCE. Do you have a battery system interconnect agreement or are you exclusively self-consuming your battery energy?

Only my solar with Enphase inverters is on the interconnection agreement, My Radian is behind the meter and even though it is grid tie capable, I have not enabled that capability and believe that I would violate my interconnection agreement if I did so. I am self consuming all the energy stored in my batteries. I am offsetting high rate energy with energy that I buy at low rates late at night. I am in my 10th month of my relevant period and have consumed net 3000 kWhrs of energy and have a cumulative credit of $150

I am also on a pilot program with Ohmconnect where I get credits if I cut my usage during certain events when the grid is stressed (known as the neck of the duck curve).My Tesla charging and my water heater will cut back during those times and I am working on programming my Radian to also respond to those events by powering my critical loads panel if it is not already running on battery power. . For the time being I have the Radian programmed to run my critical loads panel during Peak times when the rates are the highest.

 

[aesculus]

With NEM 1.0 the utilities have no idea what you are producing and using, although you did have to tell them how much generation you have and a bit of simple math could give them a pretty good idea that the production and NEM values do not match, especially based on your pre NEM usage.

With NEM 2.0 they will be able to tell what's going on behind the meter.

 

[Ampster]

With NEM 2.0 they will be able to tell what's going on behind the meter.

How are they going to do that? Have they been talking to Monsanto? LOL. Is there a genetically modified electron that I don't know about?
I would challenge them to see what I am doing behind the meter. As long as I don't violate the interconnection agreement I don't see how they could tell. Unless you are talking about 15 minute interval data they can only see when and how much the meter is running backwards or forward.

 

[Ampster]

bit of simple math could give them a pretty good idea that the production and NEM values do not match, especially based on your pre NEM usage.

Not in my case. Since the install I have added another EV, changed my water heater to a heat pump, replaced the cook top with an induction range, retrofitted LEDss, added a new dishwasher that delays to start until super off peak as do my water heater and car charging. As I said above, by shifting loads I have consumed 3000kWhrs but have a net cumulative credit of $150. That will wash out against the consumption so my only cost for those 3000kWhrs is the minimum monthly fee of $10. It boils down to $0.03/kWhr plus using them as a battery.

 

[Ampster]

You could be both a NET Metering and a TOU customer or just NET Metering or just a TOU customer.

Just a point of clarification to a good explanation. TOU is one of the rate plans available. Most solar customers benefit from picking that plan because under Net Metering solar generates credits at high rates. The trend in California is that most electrical pricing will be on a time interval basis because that is how power is procured by the utilities.

 

[wiredmeyer]

From my point of view as a PG&E NEM customer, you can only save as much money with a PowerWall as you currently pay at your annual true-up. If you are currently Net $0 true-up but are a net user of kWh, then a PowerWall won't save you anything. I have a small 4.32kW DC solar system and average about $800/year energy charges due at true-up. Rate arbitrage by either capturing my own solar during Part-Peak or actually charging the batteries during Off-Peak, then using the batteries to avoid any Peak period usage could save me up to that much on my annual true-up. If you interconnect batteries, you have to sign a special agreement. I don't know the conditions of that agreement, so I don't know if you're actually allowed to discharge into the grid during peak period without a signal from the utility that it is needed. Clearly the rate tariffs need to be modernized to fully account for people who have distributed storage and generation.

I am in the same situation with similar numbers to you. I figure it is a good wager to save the $1000 True Up every year by not pulling anything during peak and selling all my solar, winter especially. Also, there is a 30% tax credit for power storage. I think the ROI is 5 years and I get the main benefit of the backup power for the next quake.

 

[tezzla]

I need the powerwall strictly for power outages, my local SCE clowns have averaged 2 blackouts a month for the last 2 years!

I've filed multiple complaints with the PUC, they are a toothless organization that just forwards my complaint to SCE and considers my problems solved.