California's electrical grid has an EV problem

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Yahoo Finance

California's electrical grid has an EV problem

Akiko Fujita · Anchor/Reporter
Thu, May 19, 2022, 5:17 AM

California energy officials issued a sobering warning this month, telling residents to brace for potential blackouts as the state’s energy grid faces capacity constraints heading into the summer months.

And since the state has committed to phase out all new gas-powered vehicles by 2035 — well ahead of federal targets — the additional load from electric vehicle (EV) charging could add more strain to the electric grid.

“Let’s say we were to have a substantial number of [electric] vehicles charging at home as everybody dreams,” Ram Rajagopal, an associate professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University, who authored a recent study looking at the strain electric vehicle adoption is expected to place on the power grid, told Yahoo Finance. “Today’s grid may not be able to support it. It all boils down to: Are you charging during the time solar power is on?”

EV charging in the race to net-zero emissions

In Sacramento, officials said California’s grid could face a potential shortfall of roughly 1,700 megawatts, which would affect the power supply of between 1 million and 4 million people this summer. That number would likely be exacerbated by an additional shortfall of 5,000 megawatts in the case of extreme heat and further fire damage to existing power lines.

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[exboyfil]

1. And because they don't have storage capability

They are also paying states like Arizona to take some of their renewable power.

It seems that there wasn't a well thought out plan in California.

[Pobeka]

2. Put charging outlets at work so EV's charge during the day.

That'd help a lot.

And, we could get off the "I have to have my own vehicle for every trip" culture and have real mass transit.

And, we learned during this pandemic that many, many workers can work at home for a majority of the week days, if not all.

Little things add up.

[Merlot]

5. EV charging stations at work don't help those who work at home

I go to the grocery store where there are two chargers and hope that one will be available. The office building next door has dozens of chargers for employees some of which are empty. I asked the guard on duty if the public could access them - I'd be willing to pay - but nope, they're just for employees.

The SCEdison made a big fanfare of having the largest lot of chargers available to the public but almost all of them are for Teslas which are a private company. The few that are for other models are all super chargers which don't fit my car.

[hunter]

3. We'll fix the problem by building new natural gas power plants...

... which we'll hide beneath wind turbines and solar panels.

That's the plan for the closure of Diablo Canyon as well.

[Auggie]

4. Poor planning all around ...

energy supply, just like water supply, suffering from myopic planning, corporate greed, and political impasse.