California’s high level of Solar PV (PV) installation has lead to negative daytime prices in many days and a significant and growing curtailment of renewables.
As we all know PV only provides energy during daylight hours.
Many people are expecting to charge at home at night because it is “easy and cheap”
At the current installation rate by 2050 the US will likely have 15% nuclear, 10% wind, 5% hydro (if we are lucky enough to not knock down all the power dams) and 70% solar – while using about 160% of today’s electricity (if about 50-60% of the vehicles are electric, and that 60% or so of buildings are purely electric).
EVs will make up the largest single annual use of electricity.
Assuming these facts come true, storage of PV produced energy to charge EVs at night will end up being the largest single cost for the grid.
Now we could double store the energy – once in stationary batteries and once in the vehicle or we could charge vehicles during the day. Losing about 20% of the energy in that process.
Or we could shift to a nighttime working culture (increasing lighting requirements, and heating in the winter) and charge the vehicles at home during the day. [Remember only about 40% of work can be done from home, the balance requires people to go to work].
So as a macrotrend we have 3 options:
1) Charge at work during the day (more hassle – maybe more costly)
2) Charge at home during the day and change society’s schedules
3) Double store energy, take the losses and charge at home during the night
No one is seriously discussing this, but it will be the largest driver of grid costs over the next 20 years. Likely more than the current national debt of the US for the US alone.
What say you?
Doug Houseman
Expert Member
Top Contributor
Should we “Flip” working hours?
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