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I came on here to comment that if you do this, it requires that the EVs be connected to the grid. How is that going to happen during the day when a lot of folks

I came on here to comment that if you do this, it requires that the EVs be connected to the grid. How is that going to happen during the day when a lot of folks are at work, or out and about, and there aren't that many public chargers? I don't think this whole EVs-as-grid-storage really makes sense. When the EVs go into the scrap market, the batteries will likely still have 80% of their range left (if not more, based on what folks have been reporting). If it's as low as 80%, it would be a huge detriment in the used market, but that much is still fine and dandy for grid storage. Just wait 10-15 years and use them then, if this is supposed to be a strategy. Or better yet, keep investing in other non-lithium chemistries, like those involving sodium, and then cost per kwh will go down significantly.

dTal 4y ago
Yeah, the utility of smoothing grid demand overnight seems limited. Nighttime is when demand is least peaky. And if you commit to having the EV charged in the morning, you can't get net energy out which means it can't be used to compensate for lack of sun either. It doesn't seem to solve any problems that we actually have.
bluedino 4y ago
Doesn't the average US household have 2 cars? And probably higher in the households that can afford a new Tesla?
audunw 4y ago
> I came on here to comment that if you do this, it requires that the EVs be connected to the grid. How is that going to happen during the day when a lot of folks are at work Having chargers at the office is a thing. You could imagine grid operators subsidizing setting up EV chargers at office parking lots on the condition that they're V2G capable. I wouldn't mind letting my EV charge at home at night and discharge down to, say 50%, at work. Also, there's generally a big peak just as people come home from work. I could charge at night, discharge the first couple of hourse right after I come home, and then charge again. I don't always drive to work either, I hope to take the bus or train more when kids are done with kindergarten (they can walk to school on their own). But this is Europe, I get that this is less realistic in USA. You have some good points, but I think the next 10-20 years will be so critical for the switch to renewables that we can't afford to wait. If we can get some help from V2G until more permanent solutions are in place, why not?
greenthrow 4y ago
Peak grid load is not during the day when people are at work. It is right after they get home when their EVs would be plugged in. EVs can be used to soften this demand's load on the grid.
goodcanadian 4y ago
Peak electricity demand occurs in the evening when people come home from work and start cooking and watching TV and giving the kids and bath and so on. Bring your car home, plug it in, and it supplies the grid at this peak time. Then it charges up again overnight when demand is otherwise low, and it is ready for you to go to work in the morning. As long as you have some charge left in your battery at the end of the day, it can work out fine. Also, some of us work from home, or commute by public transit, or whatever, and only use the car on weekends.
- ThatPlayer 4y ago
  Here's some data for your claim: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/gridmonitor/dashboard/electric_overview/regional/REG-CAL https://www.eia.gov/electricity/gridmonitor/dashboard/electr... . Interestingly it does look like there's two peaks a day, 6-8pm when people get home and 8-10am as people are waking up. Weekend morning peaks are noticeably lower than weekdays too.

dTal 4y ago

Yeah, the utility of smoothing grid demand overnight seems limited. Nighttime is when demand is least peaky. And if you commit to having the EV charged in the morning, you can't get net energy out which means it can't be used to compensate for lack of sun either. It doesn't seem to solve any problems that we actually have.

bluedino 4y ago

Doesn't the average US household have 2 cars? And probably higher in the households that can afford a new Tesla?

audunw 4y ago

> I came on here to comment that if you do this, it requires that the EVs be connected to the grid. How is that going to happen during the day when a lot of folks are at work Having chargers at the office is a thing. You could imagine grid operators subsidizing setting up EV chargers at office parking lots on the condition that they're V2G capable. I wouldn't mind letting my EV charge at home at night and discharge down to, say 50%, at work. Also, there's generally a big peak just as people come home from work. I could charge at night, discharge the first couple of hourse right after I come home, and then charge again. I don't always drive to work either, I hope to take the bus or train more when kids are done with kindergarten (they can walk to school on their own). But this is Europe, I get that this is less realistic in USA. You have some good points, but I think the next 10-20 years will be so critical for the switch to renewables that we can't afford to wait. If we can get some help from V2G until more permanent solutions are in place, why not?

greenthrow 4y ago

Peak grid load is not during the day when people are at work. It is right after they get home when their EVs would be plugged in. EVs can be used to soften this demand's load on the grid.

goodcanadian 4y ago

Peak electricity demand occurs in the evening when people come home from work and start cooking and watching TV and giving the kids and bath and so on. Bring your car home, plug it in, and it supplies the grid at this peak time. Then it charges up again overnight when demand is otherwise low, and it is ready for you to go to work in the morning. As long as you have some charge left in your battery at the end of the day, it can work out fine. Also, some of us work from home, or commute by public transit, or whatever, and only use the car on weekends.

ThatPlayer 4y ago
Here's some data for your claim: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/gridmonitor/dashboard/electric_overview/regional/REG-CAL https://www.eia.gov/electricity/gridmonitor/dashboard/electr... . Interestingly it does look like there's two peaks a day, 6-8pm when people get home and 8-10am as people are waking up. Weekend morning peaks are noticeably lower than weekdays too.