TOU Time Of USe

May 05, 2019

Does it matter when you charge your car?

Do you know why Utilities off Time Of Use rates with lower rate Off Peak at night? Have you seen how many power plants and Utilities inter connect their power lines to try and balance use vs production? If you under stand these rules and why we have lower rates at night you will always want to plug in your vehicle Off Peak at night.

Many Utilities EVen have Super Lower rates if you have a plugin vehicle to encourage you to charge Off Peak. The Union of Concerned Scientist did a study and determined we would not need a single new power plant or any more fuel to power 80% of the vehicles now on the road by electricity.

The big secret that power companies don't tell you is they can't lower the power plant out put of most plants and then turn it up the next day to meet the Peak Demand. They have to leave them all running at full output. A Nuclear and COAL takes a long time to power up or down. EVen hydro can't be turned up and down very easy. Yet our use of Electric Power drops by almost 80% at night.

I'm not even on a TOU plan so I have the same rates day and night. I also have Solar and make 120% of what I use all year long. Yet I always try to charge Off Peak to help the GRID.

When do you charge you car and why ?