Through optimized charging, electric cars can be used to balance that intermittency by acting like a giant batteryabsorbing renewable power when theres a surplus, and injecting some of that power back into the grid if its needed at a later time, a concept known as vehicle-to-grid.. GM is by no means the only manufacturer thinking about vehicle-to-grid solutions, and in some ways its playing catch-up. The broken Twitter everyone warned us about is finally here. "Today, EVs are disproportionately driven by homeowners," Moniot said. This new technology wont be cheap. To make the evolution to zero-emission vehicles successful, California must have a robust charging infrastructure. Adam Stern, executive director of the industry group Offshore Wind California, said the planning and regulatory process alone could take five to six years. No more vacant rooftops and lifeless lounges not here in Capitol Hill. Still, offshore winds potential is huge. Securing the stability of the grid also requires a huge investment in energy storage, which can help provide energy during peak demand times. California state officials "claim that the 12.5 million electric vehicles expected on California's roads in 2035 will not strain the grid," writes the nonpartisan and nonprofit news organization Cal Matters. Driving the news: B2U Storage Solutions' Sierra facility has reached 25MWh of solar storage capacity using second-life EV batteries from Honda and Nissan, the company announced Tuesday. "As long as you have educated drivers and customerswhich is going to be a hard partthere's a lot of room for EVs to participate in this balancing act in a favorable manner.". Following the passage of the IRA, Arizona-based First Solar announced it would invest up to $1.2 billion to build a new manufacturing facility in the Southwest and to upgrade and expand its Northwest Ohio complex. Unlike solar and wind, which generate electricity intermittently, nuclear provides constant (baseload) energy. Social media used to be free. It was just last week that the California Air Resources Board approved regulations that would likely result in electric cars eventually being the only viable option in the state. Engineering. Monahan said the CEC is "super excited" about the energy generating potential from offshore wind projects. 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.. Thats what were particularly concerned about, he said. This integration will require significant investment in new infrastructure and technology. 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. Californians may need to take measures to conserve energy, including by avoiding charging electric vehicles, to prevent strain to the state's power grid over the Labor Day weekend, officials saida week after state regulators voted on a plan to ban the sale of gasoline-powered cars. Robby Starbuck, a former Republican congressional candidate in Tennessee, wrote: "This comes days after California became the first state to ban gas cars by 2035 which means massive pain for the grid there when everyone is forced to drive only electric cars. One method is called vehicle-to-grid integration, where energy can be reabsorbed by the grid when the vehicle is parked. Build solar and wind at an unprecedented pace: Shifting to all renewables requires at least 6 gigawatts of new resources a year for the next 25 years a pace thats never been met before. Engineering. H. Saad. The sheer heft of the Golden States auto market means that carmakers will need to ramp up their gas-to-electric transition plans, especially if more states and countries follow Californias lead and implement their own combustion engine bans, which I believe is all but guaranteed. Sam Lafoca/Construction Photography/Avalon/Getty Images. The construction of the North Sea Super Grid is the major step towards meetingthe future demand for electric power transmission in northern Europe. As of now, the US transmission system seems to lack this capacity. We write on environmental issues, climate politics and NGOs. By 2030, about 1.2 million chargers will be needed for 8 million vehicles, according to a state report. This is a BETA experience. Read our affiliate link policy. B2U. Yet if all Californians bought E.V.s tomorrow, it would be a nightmare for the state's power grid. Why this confusion and last-minute policy decisions about nuclear energy? Even before the regulation saw the light of day, California drivers led the nation in embracing EVs on a per-capita basis, as you can see in the chart above. California isnt backing down from this challenge because the health of our communities and planet is at stake. So I turned to Paul-the-Merc s-Environmental-Guy. We shouldnt. Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology allows for energy to be sent from the vehicle back into the grid or building as needed. Join the Ars Orbital Transmission mailing list to get weekly updates delivered to your inbox. There are more than half a million E.V.s in California, the most of any state. 170. Even after a battery no longer meets the needs of a car, however, it can still store enough energy to be useful on the electric grid. To replace them, the state Public Utilities Commission has ordered utilities by 2026 to procure 11.5 gigawatts of new renewable energy resources, or enough to power 2.5 million homes. T. K. Vrana, S. Dennetire, +3 authors. Thats because unlike filling a gas tank charging an electric car takes much longer. People can still keep and drive their existing gasoline cars, pickups, minivans and SUVs, and can buy and sell used ones. Just think of us as this new building thats been here forever. 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? That's 915 million oil barrels' worth of emissions that won't pollute our communities. Financial contributions from our readers are a critical part of supporting our resource-intensive work and help us keep our journalism free for all. Electric cars can be and are charged at peoples homes, off solar panels on their roofs. "Lowering electricity use during that time will ease strain on the system, and prevent more drastic measures, including rotating power outages," it added. This is a BETA experience. FOLSOM, Calif. The California Independent System Operator (ISO) has issued a statewide Flex Alert, a call for voluntary electricity conservation, for today, Aug. 31 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., due to high temperatures pushing up energy demand and tightening available power supplies. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window). 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. Its still a program thats only accessible by a lot of high-income residents, Baker explained. The early majority phase is past the so-called chasm, Rogerss word for the critical tipping point that separates early adopters and everyone else. Rajit Gadh, director of UCLAs Smart Grid Energy Research Center, said challenges exist. Shares of First Solar are up more than 55% year-to-date, and up 25% over the past 30 days alone. State officials claim that the 12.5 million electric vehicles expected on Californias roads in 2035will not strain the grid. It all "There are R&D batteries that are out there, they're going to use for R&D and then becoming available. Electrical transmission towers at a Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) electrical substation during a [+] heatwave in California. But newer models like the Ford F-150 Lightning and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 will have that ability, said Bill Powers, a San Diego engineer who plans to go off the grid with the help of an electric car. Join Gary Richards for an hourlong chat noon Wednesday at www.mercurynews.com/live-chats. But the California Energy Commission says it will remain a small fraction of all the power used during peak hours jumping from 1% in 2022 to 5% in 2030 and 10% in 2035. EV switchover will work only if households can charge their cars 24X7. Would dismantling Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods? Did California policymakers not see the coming electricity crisis? Will it be able to support millions more electric vehicles? California is the most populous and wealthiest state in the U.S. California has about 838,000 electric cars and plug-in hybrids. So the company expects to get significant use from them before they're sent on for recycling. 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. 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. Climate change is also exacerbating Californias wildfire problem, and PG&E warned customers in 2019 that they would be facing up to ten years of precautionary blackouts as the company tried to prevent fires started by its transmission lines. The technology is still in the early stages, has not been tested with other electric vehicles and its unclear when it will be ready. While the performance will continue to degrade over time, grid-level power storage doesn't require the rapid charge or discharge behavior that puts the most stress on the battery's capacity. The new policy, approved by the California Air Resources Board, will require all new cars sold in California to be free of greenhouse gas emissions by 2035 as part of an effort to fight climate change. In addition to Newsom's suggested spending, Monahan said there also appears to be "appetite" within the state legislature to support the push for electric vehicles. The projects could provide enough energy to supply power to 1.6 million homes, according to a White House fact sheet. The juxtaposition of the mandate and the grid crisis sparked widespread skepticism: How can the state require Californians to buy electric cars if the grid couldnt even supply enough power to make it through the summer? The inauguralAssembly Bill (AB) 2127 Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Assessmentexamines charging needs to support Governor Gavin Newsoms executive order requiring sales of all new passenger vehicles to be zero-emission by 2035 including battery electric and fuel-cell technologies. System Operator announced a statewide electricity Flex Alert urging conservation to avoid blackouts in Monterey Park, California on August 31, 2022. They describe it as more of a growing pain as the state increases renewable energy than a fatal flaw. Currently, there are roughly 635,000 electric vehicles registered Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Right now, the only vehicle available with bidirectional charging is the Nissan LEAF. Published 1 October 2013. Drivers may not have a reliable place to park their cars for long periods of time during the day while they work or late at night when theyre home. Technological challenges: Despite its potential benefits, V2G technology faces some technological challenges, including the need to develop new standards and protocols for communication between EVs and the grid, and the need for new charging infrastructure. Download Free PDF Sample: http://bit.ly/3IHAOK7. Published 1 October 2013. Findings underscore importance of public investments, grid integration. So far, the only projects that exist in California are for buses. Even Germany is contemplating extending the lives of its nuclear reactors, although in 2011 it had announced their closure. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Even so, he said he is optimistic the state can adapt over the next decade. This led to a surge in electricity demand, creating the possibility of widespread rolling blackouts. Weve got the Jackd Fitness Center (we love puns), open 24 hours for whenever you need it. 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. In summary. With 15 times more electric cars expected on Californias roads by 2035, the amount of power they consume will grow exponentially. We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and This is plausible if the right policies are in place, but its not guaranteed. Prioritizingestablishing commonconnector and communication standardsfor hardware and software. The two groups project nationwide solar deployment to increase by as much as 40% over the next five years (2023 2027), even as the industry will remain supply-constrained through the end of 2023. Gasoline car owners drive up to gas stations anytime to fuel up. At the moment, the state has among the worst EV-to-charger port ratios in the nation, with more than 27 plug-in vehicles per charging port. Some on social media pointed out that conflicting messages were being sent to Californians. For instance, in the summer when energy is the most expensive, PG&E customers pay about 55 cents per kilowatt-hour during peak hours, more than double the 24 cents during off-peak times, according to PG&E spokesperson Paul Doherty. Will drivers be told not to charge their cars on days of extreme temperatures? The EV battery provides backup power for the home. Cars Electric Cars Could Save Californias Power Grid. Mostly, private companies are responsible for installing them, although state grants help. "We can solve this climate crisis if we focus on the big, bold steps necessary to cut pollution," he said in a statement on August 25. One of the most prominent women in tech and one of Googles earliest employees is leaving the company. Recall, the state had to institute rolling blackouts in 2020, well before the EV mandate that will substantially increase electricity demand. The idea behind the pilot is deceptively simple: An EV owner plugs their car into a charger at home, and instead of electricity simply flowing into the cars battery, electricity can also flow out of it to provide power to buildings a concept called vehicle-to-grid, which essentially makes the car an extension of the power grid itself. During the day, the Lancaster, Calif. facility's batteries are charged up by nearby solar panels. She said many disadvantaged communities across the state bear the brunt of impacts of pollution from fossil fuels and climate changes extreme heat. The heatwave continues. (Photo by Frederic J. Then, in a dizzying about-face, residents were asked not to charge their EVs to conserve energy as Californias electrical grid was pushed to the limit due to a punishing heatwave. 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. By 2030, about 1.2 million chargers will be needed for 8 million vehicles, according to a state report. Thats about 69 gigawatts from large-scale solar farms, up from 12.5 gigawatts, plus triple the amount of rooftop solar and double the amount of onshore wind power. Thus, moving this electricity from generation sites to consumption centers requires creating a massive new transmission system. And, by working with battery OEMs, B2U is getting access to a number of batteries that never spent much time in cars. He started his journalism career as a sports editor in Iowa in 1975. Phone numbers were never meant to protect or identify us, but we use them to do that all the time. Right now, theres no one who can give you a definitive answer. And if the storage were to be decentralized or distributed, only high-income households will be able to afford it, leading to new sorts of inequities. California wants to use electric cars to back up the power grid A collaboration between GM and PG&E will test-drive powering homes with EV batteries during blackouts. The California Independent System Operator said it issued an order restricting maintenance operations from August 31 through September 6 to ensure that all generators and transmission lines are in service. Those dollars are being used for 170,000 new chargers. But in May 2022, Californias governor Newsom began making a case to keep Diablo open. Could this be done? Many experts believe that electric vehicles won't be a drag on America's electric grid. Instead, they'll be a benefit. By leveraging an EVs battery capacity to provide power back to the grid when demand is high, EVs can improve our grid's resilience. "Can the grid survive without EVs?" says Allen. counties.). In fact, some coastal communities are also opposing offshore wind turbines for similar reasons. Many Californians right now are no doubt feeling the whipsaws of conflicting government policies. 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. 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 Excess power goes from the EV battery to supply the electrical grid. 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. Come be part of creating a clean, modern and thriving California. That's not the case for residents who rent their homes, many of whom don't have designated parking spaces. This buildout should benefit not only solar panel manufacturers but also the companies that supply the metals and other materialssilver and copper in particular. In addition, California also received $384 million in federal funding this past year to help it construct a 6,600-mile statewide charging network and deploy 1.2 million chargers by 2030, according to the California Energy Commission. Installing the massive turbines with blades bigger than a football field and constructing transmission lines and an onshore production plant would take another two to three years, Stern said. Recession Has Not Materialized but Still Could, Heres Why Intuitive Surgical Stock Is A Better Pick Over Its Peer, BNY Mellon Stock Is Trading 11% Below Its Fair Value. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Moving forward into the future, it seems to me that the strategy is putting more and more stress and responsibility on the customer, Assemblymember Vince Fong, a Republican from Bakersfield, told state agencies at a joint legislative hearing in November. One might ask: why is the US able to quickly build gas pipelines but not high voltage transmission lines? 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. Its when we have those peak hours during those tough months.. 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. With our mission set, Im committed to keep our state marching toward a greener future, said Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee and author of AB 2127. 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.. "Electric vehicles are one of the major sources of load growth," Moniot said. 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. But for policy change to have political support, the switching costs should be low. As the home of one million (and counting) EVs the most electric vehicles of any state in the country California is particularly well-suited to test the concept of using EVs this way. EV owners would probably expect the same: charge their cars at their convenience. We have confidence now that electricity will meet future demand and were able to plan for it, said Quentin Gee, a California Energy Commission supervisor who forecasts transportation energy demand. Ting expressed frustration that state leaders were going backwards by extending the lifespan of Diablo Canyon to 2030 and some fossil fuel plants. Political opposition might also be diffused via permitting changes. Supportinginnovative charging solutions and financing mechanismsto foster market growth.. V2G: Vehicle to grid. As with many of the problems related to energy and electric vehicles, its a matter of time, education, awareness and incentives, Gadh said. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 1/1/20) and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement (updated 1/1/20) and Ars Technica Addendum (effective 8/21/2018). 715 P Street Thank U, Next. Prior to that he was an assistant sports editor at the paper from 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. San Bernardino County outlawed solar farms on more than a million acres, and two projects were rejected in Lake and Humboldt counties. The cost of producing the energy averages about $84 per megawatt-hour, more than most other sources of energy, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. "If you don't have a home charger or a workplace charger, then you can't participate in this flexibility game as much as those who have ubiquitous access to infrastructure," Moniot said. Is nuclear power required to switch over to EVs? A recent Newsweek headline perfectly summarizes the apparent absurdity of it all: Today, about 1% of our vehicles are electric. 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