There is a -logical- fear that the demand for electricity from electric cars will end up having a pernicious effect on rates, causing them to rise, and that therefore their advantages will be diluted. To what extent is this fear justified? Let’s see.
One of the star themes of the summer is the electricity price, from the electrical reform of the Voluntary Price for the Small Consumer (PVPC), by which it passes to three consumption bands and three prices during the week. It has been in force since June. Then came the megawatt hour price records, but not because of this reform.
Right now the electricity market is largely dependent on the outside, so resorting to foreign energy sources, such as natural gas, and if they generate CO2, produces an inevitable increase in prices. The ideal would be to have a 100% renewable generation, but that is not always possible.
For example, Red Eléctrica Española has recorded a demand of 718 GWh for today in the peninsular electricity system, of which 325 GWh (47.9%) have been achieved with renewable energies. The 31,579 MW of demand at 9:00 p.m. implies emissions of 3,434.8 equivalent tons of CO2, just at that time!
Faced with such a panorama, there will be those who think that this is the worst possible time for the government to incentivize electromobility and for electric vehicles to pull over the grid and consume even more energy. That could drive prices up and hurt the most vulnerable consumers.
For example, the National Association of Farm Administrators (AAFF) is concerned about this issue and has issued a statement. Say what “The State does not have any control capacity to protect the consumer”, although they have had to forget about the tariff of last resort (TUR) precisely for that segment of consumers.
When recharging electric cars we have to think about the usual recharges, which will mainly be done at night -when the vehicles are not used- taking advantage of the lower prices. In fact, with the PVPC rate it is very advantageous to charge from 0:00 to 8:00, in the valley rate, and you can have a higher contracted power only for that time slot.
The new PVPC rate replaced the existing 2.0 A (default), 2.0 DHA (two-period time discrimination) and 2.0 DHS (electric vehicle). If we accept the recharge in the flat period -the intermediate period- as acceptable, it is possible to recharge from 22:00 to 10:00 at a reduced price.
The problem with electric cars is that recharges are generalized coinciding with peaks in demand – peak period – but in any case we would talk about recharges necessary for trips or having no choice, not the usual daily ones that most users will use. . And this scenario is with a “dumb” network.
In a Intelligent Network Not only can electric vehicles be recharged, they can also dump power back at times of increased demand. This is achieved through V2G technology or network vehicle. This discharge allows an economic benefit, pouring energy obtained at a lower price at a higher price. It will be voluntary, obviously.
The crux of the issue that electric vehicles do not affect electricity prices is the demand curve. The more energy is consumed in the valley and flat periods, and the less has to be generated in the peak period, the more advantage there will be, and prices can go down or remain, but not rise.
One of the endemic evils of the electrical system in developed countries is that they are dimensioned for maximum demand, so there are periods in which there is literally excess energy, so the contribution of renewables is wasted and their storage is difficult. ..
… unless we have tens of thousands of V2G compliant EVs and they can flatten demand. Do not underestimate the contribution in megawatts they can make to the grid – like a power plant – or the energy they can store for when it is most needed.
summarizing: this fear is, a priori, unfounded, since consumers are the first interested in recharging at a lower price, and not doing it at the time of the highest price and contributing to a price escalation, as is the case with air conditioning machines, whose use cannot be postponed or overtake when it is very hot.