Who has Cheap/Free Electricity for home charging

[israndy]

I saw a post about the Energy Departments app "eGallon" that lets you see what it costs for a gallon of fuel and what an equivalent amount of electricity costs where you live. So, of course, I had to see what electricity costs in other states as we pay a lot in California (Sorry, Hawaii, I know you pay more). Interestingly it looks like Washington state, where we have been thinking of moving, may be a good place to own an EV, only 89¢ an eGallon, vs the $1.79 we pay here.

But I cannot find any hard numbers, I don't know how to research, and then it occurred to me, I should ask here.

So if I am in the mood to move and the cost of electricity may be a big factor, what deals have people found out there? I have heard of people who can charge their cars for FREE certain hours in parts of the world where it's cheaper to give away electricity than shut a plant overnight. I have gotten calls asking if I might be interested if a program existed that charged my car for free, but only when IT wanted to, instead of just when I came home.

So what do you pay for electricity at home and where are you. Do you have to join a specific rate plan or is power just cheap there?

-Randy

 

[RFernatt]

WV. About $.12/kWh if I had to pay for it. Net metered solar puts the cost at practically zero, but there is the investment in solar up front.

 

[FlatSix911]

Interesting data for the US... https://www.chooseenergy.com/electricity-rates-by-state/

 

[doubleatheman]

With SMUD (Sacramento Municipal Utility District) I pay 8.19 Cents at night during the winter from Midnight to 6am. Its 10.16 Cents/KWH during the summer at night. So much cheaper than the supercharger. I am so very lucky to have SMUD in California, most everyone pays well over twice as much. SMUD charges $30 "Grid" fee that is fixed, so I don't consider that a cost to run my tesla, because I would have to pay it anyway, and I pay an extra $6 fixed fee for 100% Renewable power through Green E energy (57% Wind, 28% Solar, 15% BioMass)

 

[WATTZON]

Texas: many cities and rural areas are supplied electricity via non profit coops. My usage cost is 6¢ per kWH but with taxes the gross cost is near 10¢

 

[Kuhz]

Here in WA electricity is cheap because of hydro. There is a push to remove some dams but I do not foresee it having a large effect on rates in the near future. I don’t know where you are planning to move, but if it’s in the Puget Sound Energy area, there are no off peak rates. Just ~$.10/kw all day/night. East of the Cascades it’s even cheaper.

 

[ewoodrick]

I saw a post about the Energy Departments app "eGallon" that lets you see what it costs for a gallon of fuel and what an equivalent amount of electricity costs where you live. So, of course, I had to see what electricity costs in other states as we pay a lot in California (Sorry, Hawaii, I know you pay more). Interestingly it looks like Washington state, where we have been thinking of moving, may be a good place to own an EV, only 89¢ an eGallon, vs the $1.79 we pay here.

But I cannot find any hard numbers, I don't know how to research, and then it occurred to me, I should ask here.

So if I am in the mood to move and the cost of electricity may be a big factor, what deals have people found out there? I have heard of people who can charge their cars for FREE certain hours in parts of the world where it's cheaper to give away electricity than shut a plant overnight. I have gotten calls asking if I might be interested if a program existed that charged my car for free, but only when IT wanted to, instead of just when I came home.

So what do you pay for electricity at home and where are you. Do you have to join a specific rate plan or is power just cheap there?

-Randy

You need to always check the prices of the specific utility that you will be using, they vary.
There's also winter vs summer rates and time of use rates.

And I think everyone is cheaper than CA

GA is about $0.04 winter $0.16 summer

 

[nwdiver]

Does it count as free if I just get a slightly smaller check?

I get $0.02/kWh for energy I produce and don't use.

 

[dhanson865]

Tennessee around 9 cents pre tax / service fees. Around 10-11 cents after taxes/fees. No special plan, flat rate.

Since the monthly fee is a flat rate the more I use, the closer I get to the pretax price per kWh. Currently that is $17.50

 

[israndy]

RFernatt, nwdiver what is the cost of the solar? At the rate others are deploying the panels it feels like there is NO WAY I will get my investment back. I have a friend who spent the big bucks to get TESLA solar, I feel guilty asking for juice when I am there, I mean *I* didn't spend any money, why should I get his electricity? Maybe after 10 years when he has paid it off.

As more and more users add solar, and my power company adds it in town, the cost of power HAS to come down...

-Randy

 

[nwdiver]

RFernatt, nwdiver what is the cost of the solar? At the rate others are deploying the panels it feels like there is NO WAY I will get my investment back. I have a friend who spent the big bucks to get TESLA solar, I feel guilty asking for juice when I am there, I mean *I* didn't spend any money, why should I get his electricity? Maybe after 10 years when he has paid it off.

-Randy

You said it yourself. Payback period is ~10 years. After that it's free and clean energy. Saturation concerns will be greatly mitigated by demand response programs, storage and more EVs.

 

[brkaus]

Austin, TX has a trial rate for EV charging between 7pm-2pm and all weekend for $30 (50a breaker) or $50 (>50a breaker).

So depends on mileage.

 

[RFernatt]

You said it yourself. Payback period is ~10 years. After that it's free and clean energy. Saturation concerns will be greatly mitigated by demand response programs, storage and more EVs.

Yep, payback is about 10 years, but the whole system is warranted for 25 years and has a 90% production guarantee through that period. I purchased the system so I own it and it was installed by a local installer, but I knew I wanted the Panasonic panels. So, no PPA or leasing shenanigans. The 30% federal tax credit certainly helps, though. It's not inexpensive, but it is an investment that increases the value of your house just like an addition or other property improvement.

I am completely enamored by the idea that I can offset the entire energy usage of my house and cars and that I will control that energy source for decades.

 

[MarcoRP]

Quebec electricity!

 

[5_+JqckQttqck]

~10cent CAD/kW overnight counting the fixed service and delivery fees. Some people who signed up to a TOU program gets it 2cent CAD/kW in some areas.

I'm in Toronto Ontario, Canada

 

[Rockster]

~$0.10/kWh 24/7/365. We are on a co-op, so there are no rate plans or TOU or what not. I have 10kW of rooftop solar, purchased at $2/watt so there's a benefit there. The net metering plan isn't great. They just calculate the net purchased per billing cycle less the generated overage, without giving any credit for over production.

 

[Need]

You said it yourself. Payback period is ~10 years. After that it's free and clean energy. Saturation concerns will be greatly mitigated by demand response programs, storage and more EVs.

If I didn't have 2 Tesla and driving about 50,000 miles between the 2 cars a year, it would have been about 10 years to break even on Solar payment vs. Electric Bill payment. But with the 2 cars, I calculated it would be more like 6 to 7 years if electric rate stays the same for 7 years and does not go up. If it goes up, it will get to the break even point even faster. Also it is kind of cool to tell people that I am driving on sun power. I actually put up too many panels... at this rate, I think I will get about -$700 at the end of the 12 months....but I will only get like $20 check at wholesale rate LOL.

 

[nwdiver]

If I didn't have 2 Tesla and driving about 50,000 miles between the 2 cars a year, it would have been about 10 years to break even on Solar payment vs. Electric Bill payment. But with the 2 cars, I calculated it would be more like 6 to 7 years if electric rate stays the same for 7 years and does not go up. If it goes up, it will get to the break even point even faster. Also it is kind of cool to tell people that I am driving on sun power. I actually put up too many panels... at this rate, I think I will get about -$700 at the end of the 12 months....but I will only get like $20 check at wholesale rate LOL.

Better too many than too few IMO

 

[Tress]

If I didn't have 2 Tesla and driving about 50,000 miles between the 2 cars a year, it would have been about 10 years to break even on Solar payment vs. Electric Bill payment. But with the 2 cars, I calculated it would be more like 6 to 7 years if electric rate stays the same for 7 years and does not go up. If it goes up, it will get to the break even point even faster. Also it is kind of cool to tell people that I am driving on sun power. I actually put up too many panels... at this rate, I think I will get about -$700 at the end of the 12 months....but I will only get like $20 check at wholesale rate LOL.

What is the output of your roof? Can you charge both cars at the same time or do you stagger them?

 

[Need]

What is the output of your roof? Can you charge both cars at the same time or do you stagger them?

I am on net metering in California. So my solar panels produce electricity and sell them to SCE at the peak rate, and I charge my cars at overnight at super off peak rate. Originally, the solar company told me I need 56 panels to actually charge both my cars and all the electricity I use at home (pool pump, A/C, appliances, etc..). They were correct except for the fact that I don't really have to produce ALL the electricity I used.... just enough to offset the electricity bill on net metering, so I ended up doing my own calculation for charging the cars at super off peak rate and figured out that I really only need 40 panels. But even that, my math was a little off, 40 panels were still too many and I will ended up with a negative balance on the electricity bill.