Will drivers be told not to charge their cars on days of extreme temperatures? "Investment in more plugs is almost always a good thing.". Planning and permitting is very urgent, she said. By 2030, about 1.2 million chargers will be needed for 8 million vehicles, according to a state report. Yet if all Californians bought E.V.s tomorrow, it would be a nightmare for the state's power grid. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. "We really need to no-holds-barred start investing smartly in infrastructure. To work in a car, the batteries need to be able to meet certain standards in terms of capacity and rate of discharge, but that performance declines with use. But no such projects are in the works yet. Bidirectional power on a large scale hasnt really been performed yet, said Kyri Baker, an assistant professor of engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. By 2030, about 1.2 million chargers will be needed for 8 million vehicles, according to a state report. Probably, but it seems that this technology is not yet price competitive. That price difference is likely to shrink over time as the demand for electric vehicles grows and the market thus becomes more competitive, Monahan said. If climate change activists are correct and the temperature continues to tick up, wouldnt the extra burden of having to charge millions of EVs cripple an already-strained electric system? (How much is a megawatt? Assemblymember Luz Rivas, a Democrat from the San Fernando Valley, said low-income communities near the gas plants will continue to suffer the most if the state keeps extending their retirement dates. At the same time as electrifying cars and trucks, California must, under state law, shift all of its power to renewables by 2045. Why this confusion and last-minute policy decisions about nuclear energy? As the two states with the most ambitious EV goals, California and New York will be the first to face the pressure to manage this growing load. Failing to provide enough power quickly enough could jeopardize Californias clean-car mandate thwarting its efforts to combat climate change and clean up its smoggy air. Thats a behavioral and technological question that we really dont know the answers to, Victor said. "But there has been a steady stream of those batteries becoming available. Im proud that Governor Newsom is prioritizing zero-emission transportation through his proposed budget investments so we can do more now to meet consumer and market needs through strategic public investments that leverage private dollars.. V2G: Vehicle to grid. If we just take a laissez-faire approach with the market, then we will not get there, said Sascha von Meier, a retired UC Berkeley electrical engineering professor who specializes in power grids. California has about 838,000 electric cars and plug-in hybrids. Persimmon Shares Tank 11%, Builder Becomes FTSE 100s Biggest Faller, Why The Long-Awaited U.S. The cost of electricity is trending so high that it represents a threat to California meeting its goals, said Mark Toney, executive director of the advocacy group Utility Reform Network. "Today, EVs are disproportionately driven by homeowners," Moniot said. About two-thirds of U.S. solar capacity and 99% of wind capacity is utility-scale, located outside big cities, the major consumption centers. "Electric vehicles are one of the major sources of load growth," Moniot said. Officials are asking companies to switch production hours and use generators, which often work on diesel. A driver passes an electric vehicle charging station in Los Angeles, California on May 18, 2021. Its important, Baker and Houston said, that they dont get left behind. Ultimately the state aims to produce at least 25 gigawatts from offshore wind by 2045 the boldest commitment any state has made. (California also continues to have the nations worst air quality, ostensibly a major reason for the aggressive action against emissions. By 2030, about 1.2 million chargers will be needed for 8 million vehicles, according to a state report. How the Great Recession paved the way for influencers to inherit the earth, The surprising lesson from a century of Oscar scandals, Its time for Biden to take on the NIMBYs, For now, the one thing Congress seems to agree upon is China, How the Israeli settler rampage was emboldened by the new far-right government, We dont need to know how this pandemic started to stop the next one. California is doubling down on electric vehicles (EVs). Its also an indication of how serious GM, which announced it would end production of diesel and gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035, is about electric vehicles. He referenced changes in cell phone technology between 2002 and 2012 as an examplea comparison he noted is not direct but still illustrates how drastically markets can change in a decade. The Burbo Bank Offshore Wind Farm in the Irish Sea is photographed on November 19, 2020 in Wallasey, England. "That's largely because homeowners have money to buy new cars. In a Baptist-Bootlegger alliance, climate groups could even team up with the nuclear industry in this regard. WebConsumers from Texas to Michigan to California know the U.S. electrical grid is in terrible shape, with aging infrastructure, inadequate capacity for the coming influx of electric cars needing charging and an increasingly dysfunctional response to Its best-case.. As it does with EVs, California currently leads the U.S. in cumulative solar capacity, with as much as 37,086 megawatts (MW) installed, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). In normal times, Cal ISOs request would not have generated controversy, especially because the Flex Alerts will probably end soon. Last week, a company called B2U Storage Solutions announced that it had started operations at a 25 Megawatt-hour battery facility in California. ", The result is a growing collection of batteries that can still hold roughly 65-85 percent of their original capacity but can no longer provide the performance expected for automotive use. Siva Gunda, a member of the California Energy Commission, acknowledged that the state needs to do better to make sure we are on course to retire the fossil-fuel generation and not burdening communities.. Expand vehicle-to-grid technology: State officials hope electric cars will send energy back to the grid when electricity is in high demand, but the technology is new and has not been tested in electric cars. Toddlers could run a state more competently than Democrats.". Californians were told August 31, 2022 not to charge their electric vehicles during peak hours, just days after the state said it would stop selling gas-powered cars, as the aging electricity grid struggles with a fearsome heatwave. Want more? Poorly-executed climate plans could backfire and derail climate progress. I think probably the next step is to ask how do we make the transition to electric vehicles more equitable? Baker said. "Lowering electricity use during that time will ease strain on the system, and prevent more drastic measures, including rotating power outages," it added. Join Gary Richards for an hourlong chat noon Wednesday at www.mercurynews.com/live-chats. Were going to have to expand the grid at a radically much faster rate, said David Victor, a professor and co-director of the Deep Decarbonization Initiative at UC San Diego. The growth of electric vehicles had also started to ensure there was a steady supply of high-quality batteries to store the power in. BMW IX5 Hydrogen First Drive: The Car H2 Has Been Waiting For? That's not the case for residents who rent their homes, many of whom don't have designated parking spaces. Other keyrecommendationsfrom the reportinclude: For details on the report, view the full reportand executive summary. But their confidence that the state can avoid brownouts relies on a best-case some say unrealistic scenario: massive and rapid construction of offshore wind and solar farms, and drivers charging their cars in off-peak hours. Not only does this technology provide power to the grid during more expensive high-demand periods, but it could also help reduce the cost of ownership of the EV. "There are R&D batteries that are out there, they're going to use for R&D and then becoming available. Before continuing, I should point out how massive Californias decision is to move to 100% EVs 13 years from now. The California Air Resources Board in late May mapped out additional requirements for ride-hailing companies, which must use electric vehicles for at least 90% of all miles driven by 2030. Is nuclear power required to switch over to EVs? . Weve got kegerator space; weve got a retractable awning because (its the best kept secret) Seattle actually gets a lot of sun; weve got a mini-fridge to chill that ros; weve got BBQ grills, fire pits, and even Belgian heaters. Engineering. You may opt-out by. Roadshow readers, what are your thoughts? Garamendi: Congress must require change to avoid more rail disasters, Southern California mountain residents head home, for many its the first time in days, At least 26 killed in fiery train crash in Greece. Harriette Cole: I don't want the neighbor's kids at my house, Ask Amy: I feel guilty for not speaking up about my co-worker's activities, Ask Amy: I'm your cabin housekeeper, and you apparently have no idea what I do, Dear Abby: My wife said she doesn't like it, but it's part of my life. One solution is to make sure that new EVs are equipped with bidirectional chargers. Switching to EVs will help the climate only if electricity generation is decarbonized otherwise, one has substituted increased coal/gas emissions from electricity generation for gasoline emissions from cars. The goal will require a big shift for California drivers, more than 85% of whom were still driving gas- and diesel-powered vehicles in 2019, according to the California New Car Dealers Association's California Auto Outlook. What youre saying to me is were working on it, and we have no idea when we will make the system better and theres nothing that youre telling me that we could do as a state to make improvements, he said. The consequences of climate change are inequitable, and economically disadvantaged communities are going to bear the brunt of the pain. At the San Diego Naval base, ships were disconnected from their port-based power connections and asked to sail out to sea. More transparency on a plan that goes from here to there every year where we can track progress will really help answer that question, Breckel said. Nationally there are about 2.64 million. Whats Next For Keurig Dr Pepper Stock After A Mixed Q4? Providing electricity during those hot summer evenings when people use the most will be a challenge, said Gee of the California Energy Commission. Excess power goes from the EV battery to supply the electrical grid. An important factor is that gas pipelines basically require an approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, while electricity lines need to be approved by federal, state, and local authorities. Although that represents a tiny share of the 14 million or so vehicles on the road in California, E.V.s already pose a problem for the state's energy grid. V2H: Vehicle to home. Supportinginnovative charging solutions and financing mechanismsto foster market growth.. I certainly think that utilities, given their scale, could go further faster if they wanted to, Houston told Recode. These sorts of initiatives could be scaled up. We still dont know how to do that. And, by working with battery OEMs, B2U is getting access to a number of batteries that never spent much time in cars. Ad Choices. The state's electrical grid has been strained during a prolonged heat wave. Turbines of Americas first offshore wind farm, owned by the Danish company, Orsted, off the coast of Block Island, R.I. on Oct. 17, 2022. Its going to require a lot of coordination and a lot of investment and a lot of collaboration across different types of stakeholders, government industry, non-governmental organizations and labor unions.. Smashed minivan adds to San Jose neighborhoods frustration, concerns about safety: Roadshow, Is there a different reason for debris problem on 101 that cant be swept away? "You want to make sure that you're balancing the amount of energy that comes onto the grid versus the energy that's coming off the grid," Moniot said. It hasseven core responsibilities: developing renewable energy, transforming transportation, increasing energy efficiency, investing in energy innovation, advancing state energy policy, certifying thermal power plants, and preparing for energy emergencies. Shares of First Solar are up more than 55% year-to-date, and up 25% over the past 30 days alone. Engineering. This can reduce the need for fossil fuel-powered peaker plants, which are used to meet sudden spikes in electricity demand. Thus, moving this electricity from generation sites to consumption centers requires creating a massive new transmission system. Communities oppose transmission lines because they fear that lines and towers will disrupt the landscape and hurt property values. Gasoline car owners drive up to gas stations anytime to fuel up. As investments in renewable energy sources continue to increase, she said it will also be "critically important" to invest in storage for that energy so that Californians can have access to it at all times of day. The goal is 250,000 by 2025. Photo by David Goldman, AP Photo. With 15 times more electric cars expected on Californias roads by 2035, the amount of power they consume will grow exponentially. WebConsumers from Texas to Michigan to California know the U.S. electrical grid is in terrible shape, with aging infrastructure, inadequate capacity for the coming influx of electric cars needing charging and an increasingly dysfunctional response to These deep ocean waters have the potential to produce more than 4.5 gigawatts, enough to power about 1.5 million homes. Ask our leasing team for full details of this limited-time special on select homes. The idea of repurposing electric vehicle batteries has been around for a while. One might ask: why is the US able to quickly build gas pipelines but not high voltage transmission lines? Theres no good way to send power from public charging spots back into, say, an apartment, and its hard enough to figure out how to send energy from public chargers back into the grid at large. That could supply electricity for 25 million homes. "They do have some powertrain warranty dynamics where they're replacing batteries that didn't meet certain promise specs, and there have been some pack replacement programs for some of the early vehicles like the Leaf," Hall said. Can Californias power grid handle all these, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Can Californias power grid handle all these electric cars? H. Saad. Californias numerous Flex Alerts remind us that policy initiatives, such as permitting reforms and supporting nuclear energy, both historically unpopular with climate groups, might be required to relieve supply bottlenecks in generation and transmission. Yet if all Californians bought E.V.s tomorrow, it would be a nightmare for the state's power grid. The assessment also found that in 2030, electricity consumption from passenger EV charging could reach about 5,500 megawatts (MW) around midnight and 4,600 MW around 10 a.m. on a typical weekday, increasing electricity demand by up to 2025 percent at those times. The group that oversees the states power grid California Power Generation and Power Sources, Assembly Bill (AB) 2127 Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Assessment, California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project, vehicle-grid integration (VGI) technology, Zero-Emission Vehicle and Charger Statistics Dashboard, Energy Commission Approves Plan to Invest Up to $115 Million for Hydrogen Fueling Infrastructure, Energy Commission Announces Nations First Incentive Project for Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Infrastructure, Report Shows California Needs 1.2 Million Electric Vehicle Chargers by 2030, Ensuringequitable charger deployment throughout the state through targeted public investments.. This puts EVs safely within the early majority phase of the widely-accepted technology adoption curve, also known as the diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory, developed by sociologist Everett Rogers in 1962. President Joe Biden announced in May his administration will move forward with plans for offshore wind projects off the northern and central coasts of California. V2G: Vehicle to grid. As renewable energy sources alleviate some of the pressure on California's power grid, an increasing number of electric vehicles on the road will add pressure back on. A standard level 2 charger could cost between $7,000 to $11,000, while direct fast charging costs about $100,000 to $120,000 each, according to the California Energy Commission. Most PG&E customers take advantage of the lower pricing: On average, between 60% to 70% of electric vehicles in PG&Es service area are charged during non-peak hours. 2023 Cond Nast. Fermata Energy says that its proprietary V2G system can turn EVs into mobile energy storage assets, making it possible for owners to combat climate change, increase energy resilience and reduce energy costs.. Youre absolutely right that we need a long-term strategy for making sure we can get through the peaks with clean resources, he told legislators. Yet the Energy Commission has not yet developed such policies or plans, drawing intense criticism from energy experts and legislators. If uninterrupted electricity is essential for a smooth transition to EVs, the US should seriously evaluate building up nuclear capacity, or at least extending the life of existing nuclear reactors after appropriate permitting by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Amount of power they consume will grow exponentially use generators, which often work on diesel voltage transmission because... Massive Californias decision is to ask how do we make the transition to electric more. 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