PG&E Launches EV Pilot Program

In this episode - PG&E Launches EV Pilot Program . . .

In a previous podcast episode (Bi-Directional Charging), we reported on V2H and V2G technology. Happy New Year, welcome to season four of On the Fly.

Dateline: Dec. 6, 2022 - Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced the launch of a pre-enrollment website for customers interested in joining the company’s upcoming Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) pilot program. The “Vehicle to Everything” pilot envisions a future in which automobiles not only draw their power from the electrical grid but can strategically add electricity back to the grid when demand is high — and generate some money for their owners.

It’s based on the concept of bidirectional energy flow using EV batteries; this isn’t new, but having a utility company as dominant as PG&E onboard could transform the idea into a reality.

The pilot has space for 1,000 residential customers and 200 commercial customers. PG&E isn’t releasing the numbers for how many people have signed up. Still, Paul Doherty, a communications architect at PG&E, expects the enrollment period to take several months, stretching into Q1 2023. More than 420,000 EVs—one in six in the country—are registered in PG&E’s service area of Northern and Central California, where customers are often early adopters of new clean energy technologies.

On the residential side, customers can receive financial incentives of up to $2,500 just for enrolling in the pilot. That money, says Doherty, goes towards installing a bidirectional charger at the customer’s residence. The installation cost varies according to the home’s specifications. Still, Doherty says it’s unlikely that $2,500 will cover the total cost for most users, though it may come close, with most installations ranging in the low thousands.

Once the bidirectional charger is installed, customers can use the electricity to power their homes during peak demand hours and begin selling electricity back to the grid during flex alerts.

Southern California residents may remember back in September of 2022 when the electric grid was pushed to its breaking point thanks to a historic heatwave. During such events–or any other disaster that strains the system–customers can plug their vehicle in, discharge the battery, and get paid.

Doherty states that users can expect to make between $10 and $50 per flex alert depending on how severe the event is and how much of their battery they’re willing to discharge. That might not seem like a considerable sum, but the pilot program is slated to last two years.

Let’s say California averages ten flex alerts annually; like in 2022, customers could make $1,000. That could offset the rest of the bidirectional charger installation or provide another income stream. Not to mention help stabilize our beleaguered grid.

However, there’s always a catch. PG&E has to test and validate any bi-directional charger before it can be added to the program. So far, the only approved hardware is Ford’s Charge Station Pro, meaning only the F-150 Lightning–can participate in the program. That should change soon as the utility company tests additional hardware from other brands. Doherty says they’re expecting to add the Nissan LEAF, Hyundai’s IONIQ 5, the KIA EV6, and others soon since it’s just a matter of testing and integrating those chargers into the program.

The commercial side of the pilot looks similar to the residential. Businesses receive cash incentives upfront to help offset the cost of installing bidirectional chargers and then get paid for their contribution to stabilizing the grid in times of stress. PG&E says electric school bus fleets represent attractive targets for this technology due to their large battery capacity, high peak power needs, and predictable schedule.

If California’s aggressive plan to transition all new car sales to electric by 2035 succeeds — this would require it to add nearly two million new EVs to state roads every year — that’s two million rolling, high-power batteries with the potential to power our homes, our jobs and the grid at large. Getting there will be a colossal undertaking, but PG&E’s pilot could be a sufficient test, provided they can figure out how to get more vehicles than the Ford Lightning into the program. I’m sure it’s just a matter of time before the other utility companies follow suit, so stay tuned.

I’m Patrick Ball; thanks for listening. See you in the next episode.

Finding Our Place

In this episode, Finding Our Place: Hope and Humanity in the Age of AI . . . Yesterday, I overheard a conversation that echoed a question many of us are quietly asking: In a world increasingly shaped by algorithms, where do we , as humans, truly fit in? My younger colleagues, sharp and driven, were "joking" about AI taking their jobs. Their concerns felt valid, prompting me to reflect. Will machines really replace us? My answer, unequivocally, is No . And here’s why. What makes us uniquely human isn't merely our ability to perform tasks. It's our innate capacity for creativity and our deep-seated need to serve others. These aren't just abstract ideas; they are the very essence of what gives meaning to our lives and work. While AI excels at processing data and automating tasks with incredible speed, it cannot replicate the spark of human ingenuity. It lacks the empathy to truly understand unspoken needs or the intuitive synergy that fosters breakthrough solutio...

Chasing the Magic

In this episode, Chasing the Magic: How the Summer of ’98 Inspired the 'Ball Boys' . . . Do you remember that feeling? The late-summer air was thick with humidity, radios crackling on porches, the smell of fresh-cut grass and barbecue smoke in the backyard. Every evening carried a new kind of suspense—the country holding its collective breath after every pitch. “Did he hit one today?” became more than a question; it sparked a nationwide conversation. For me, and millions of others, the summer of 1998 wasn’t just another baseball season. It was theater, a movement, a time when the game recaptured something sacred. As sportswriter Mike Lupica said so perfectly, “No matter how old you are or how much you’ve seen, sports is still about memory and imagination. Never more than during the summer of ’98, when baseball made everyone feel like a kid again, when it felt important again.” Just four years earlier, the 1994 players’ strike had left the sport bruised...

The Curious Crew

In today's special episode, The Curious Crew . . . Oh, our young folks are ready, with AI so grand, A new era of wonders across every land! With curious minds, vast as Space, full of creative delight, And a zest for exploring, with all of their light! They welcome new tools, with a gleam in their eye, To learn and to grow, way up to the sky! Our thinking's a marvel, a clever design, We make new plans, so fantastically fine! With problem-space maps and memories, too, We build new ideas, quite fresh and quite new! With smiling faces, showing gratitude's grace, We find our own wonderful, human-filled place! Sharing a meal with generosity and love, A warm human spirit, a gift from above! We stand tall together, collaborate, and help with a grin, For with Agentic AI, together we win! Not machines all alone, but with us by their side, We'll create and serve, with nothing to hide! I'm Patrick Ball. Stay curious and ask questions. See you next time.

The Sights of Summer

In this episode, The Sights of Summer: Chasing Miles & Unexpected Smiles . . . For Lori and me, the perfect summer morning isn't something you find marked on a calendar; it's a feeling . It's the refreshing crispness of the air on our faces, the gentle warmth of the sun on our skin, and the exciting anticipation of discovering new miles and uncovering the hidden "sights of summer" along our journey. A glorious California day returns with our weekly ride. We begin with a warm-up cruise around our neighborhood under a wide, cloudless, azure sky. With a smile, I’m thinking, " You know it’s going to be a great ride when even furry co-pilots are excited!" We chuckled as a neighbor drove past, two white, fluffy dogs with their tongues flapping in the breeze and ears flopping wildly out the truck window. Pure canine bliss—an ideal sign for a fun day on two wheels. “Did you see those pups? They looked like they were smiling.” Traffic was blissfully light, ...

On The Fly

Search This Blog