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There have been concerns that the increased number of Electric cars charging at night is creating instability in America’s power grids. One solution to this issue is to allow for daytime charging, which would reduce peak electricity demand. Other potential solutions include the use of renewable energy such as Wind energy and the retirement of coal plants.
Electric cars charging at night making America’s power grids unstable
Electric cars are charged mostly at night, which means that the power grids are more stable. The US used 3.9 petawatt hours of electricity last year, while there were about 285 million cars registered in the country. On average, an electric car has 70 kWh of battery capacity. Most cars are charged to about 80% of that capacity.
One of the problems is that drivers of electric cars are driving more than they should, thereby pushing the demand up beyond the capacity of the grid. To prevent such an occurrence, California is encouraging drivers to charge their cars during non-peak hours.
Daytime charging opportunities could reduce peak electricity demand
As electric vehicles (EVs) become more common, daytime charging opportunities could help reduce peak electricity demand. These opportunities are particularly beneficial for employers, because they may encourage employees to charge their EVs during the day. The research team conducted experiments that compared different charging infrastructure scenarios and different commercial demand charges. It found that while some rate changes made the grid worse, other rate changes were beneficial. The biggest benefits were associated with charging infrastructure that promoted more daytime charging.
This shift in charging practices could significantly reduce the amount of electricity generated during peak electricity demand in states with high percentages of electric vehicle ownership. This is because daytime charging allows drivers to use solar power when it is most accessible and does not require energy storage. As a result, it reduces the amount of electricity grids need to store, which could reduce the costs of expanding grid capacity.
Wind energy
With more people relying on electric vehicles, more power is needed to power them. But with a declining supply of fossil fuels, this could be a problem. The United States’ power grids are already fragile. It’s not just electric cars that are causing grid instability. The use of plug-in home appliances is also increasing power demand.
The instabilities are compounded by the lack of transmission lines connecting cities to rural areas. State regulators have delayed the construction of these lines, and landowners have protested against allowing power lines to cross their land. However, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is currently working to pass rules to ease the approval process for new transmission lines.
Retiring coal plants
There is a growing concern that America’s power grids are becoming increasingly unstable. In recent months, the country has experienced cold snaps that forced power companies and grid operators to turn on many old coal plants. One of the nation’s largest power companies, American Electric Power, reported that 89% of its coal plants were running during the Polar Vortex. In addition, a high number of plants were out of service for exceptional weather-related reasons. This is a problem that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is trying to resolve before next winter.
Retiring coal plants is also a major concern for the grid in the Midwest. Large portions of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota are linked to the regional grid. There are many coal plants that are expected to go offline in the next few years. These plants are expensive to operate and are not compatible with the country’s long-term goals for renewable energy.
EV mandates
As more people own electric cars, there will be an increase in demand for power. That demand can cause power grids to become unstable, as power demands will go beyond the capacity of the electric grid. One solution is to encourage people to charge their cars during the day, when electricity prices are lower. This would cut demand by 7.5 percent and reduce the costs of expanding the power grid.
Another option is to invest in better charging infrastructure. Electric cars are expected to replace gas-powered vehicles in coming years, but the electric grid needs to keep pace with the demand. In California, for example, EV charging accounts for only about 1% of the grid’s total load at peak times. By 2030, this number could increase to 30 or 40%.