We have some definite challenges ahead.

[SwampNut]

Here in AZ we have some extreme power peaks in summer for cooling. So the infrastructure can already handle peak demands. We get around 4000 megawatts from our nearby nuke plant, which has to ramp up and down (a challenge for nuclear). Adding night charging may actually be a good thing and just keep it running at peak.

We have a peak demand charge which is basically a multiplier for the highest single hour's usage during the month. Basically, you get charged for being part of the peak, and the whole system has to be sized out for the peak; a major cost.

Meanwhile, our night usage plummets, and charging cars is no big deal. Mine starts at 9:30, well past demand charges and peaks.

 

[Cybertruck Hawaii]

A lot of home heating problems are caused by poorly built homes with bad insulation, and unsealed doors and windows.
You can save a lot on heating/cooling just by doing some rather basic and sensible improvements in the home.

Sleep in your Tesla vehicle. It is well insulated against the cold weather.

 

[Cybertruck Hawaii]

If we can get half of the plug in vehicles to start charging during the non peak hours, that would be the best solution to prevent overloading the power plant without spending any money on the infrastructure. New charges will have to be modified with a delay timer to begin charging during the non peak hours.

 

[SwampNut]

As far as I know, all EVs already have this timer.

 

[happy intruder]

well, all I know is that here in Irvine, Ca, we have SCE.......rates are from $0.19 to $0.49 per kWh depending on the time of day.....we charge between 2100 and 1600......usually at night thought after 2100.......its funny though...... 5 yrs ago, my wife and I discussed EV's and hybrids.....we did not think of them as a good bargin for us because there did nor seem to be a good ROI for us at the time.....

Now with gas at $5.299 for premium and $5.149 for regular, we are so happy we bought our Teslas.....what does piss me off though, is we drive less that 6,500 miles a year and are taxed for 14,000k a year per car....

I guess I will be even happier when I get my Aptera.....then around town driving will cost nothing

 

[SwampNut]

How are you taxed per mile in CA? I've only heard of flat registration there. New thing? So they track your miles and have a 14k minimum?

We work from home and drive very little, but also AZ has the lowest electric rates and EV taxes. Power is 5.5 cents off peak, and 7 years of Tesla registration was $60. My brother in CA would see a far lower ROI for an EV change.

 

[ecotrials]

I saw some where they were using the water tubes from the solar heating to cool the back sides of panels, making them slightly more efficient. The IR usually passes straight through the panels, especially the darker cells.

-Crissa

CoolPV

 

[Ogre]

CoolPV

That is very cool indeed. Not sure it’ll work for use though, sounds like it’s more designed for swimming pools and warming large loads to ~80 degrees than house hot water to 100+ degrees. I’ll check into it more though.

 

[HaulingAss]

I say the same about wood burning fires. Gas flames just aren’t the same.

Regardless my house they recommend against any kind of combustion heating inside. It has too little venting. It was a bit of a bummer because we have lots of downed trees and millions of acres of forest nearby with tons of free fuel.

There are solutions for that. The woodstove can have a dedicated air intake from outside. If you want to get more advanced you can install a fresh air heat exchanger designed to maintain a slight positive pressure in the structure. This can be installed anywhere on the same level as the stove and negates the need for a fresh air intake.

Either of these solutions, combined with a properly installed venting system for the stove, will actually provide better indoor air quality than if you didn't have a stove.

The only home heating more "green" than direct geo-thermal heat (if you are lucky enough to have a hot enough geo-thermal heat source) or a solar or wind heating (either direct or electrical heat pump and solar panels) is wood heat fired with windfall that has been properly seasoned and kept dry.

 

[HaulingAss]

The dome is 4”+ concrete. I can park the Cybertruck on the roof of the dome, putting coils on the roof won’t be a problem.

Are you talking about PEX tubing? PEX breaks down when exposed to sunlight so not great for solar.

I was thinking more like evacuated tube heaters which I think are better for the winter months.

If evacuated tube heaters will work, solar panels and a heat pump water heater will work better. You will want to vent the cold air from the heat pump to the out of doors in the winter months.

 

[Crissa]

As far as I know, all EVs already have this timer.

Not all do, but most definitely do. And you can buy charging stations that do!

Mine is nearly manual, no timers or settings.

That is very cool indeed. Not sure it’ll work for use though, sounds like it’s more designed for swimming pools and warming large loads to ~80 degrees than house hot water to 100+ degrees. I’ll check into it more though.

Even just pre-heating the water your water heater consumes can lower your energy cost. The colder the incoming water, the more additional heat needs to be added. Some of the new heat-pump water heaters can use a shared tank, or a combo with an on-demand or point-of-use heaters to bump the heat up to what you actually use it at. My on-demand even has a spot to have an additional 'warm' input that it'll use preferentially over fresh, cold.

-Crissa

 

[nomadmusk]

If California is anything to go off of. We just have energy storage issues ahead. They literally pay Arizona to take their excess renewable energy so they don't blowup, lmao. Hopefully the decentralizing of the grid wins out, and we just use home solar with geothermal storage or something to avoid subscriptions to companies just to live normally. Down with the utilities! ? Break the cycle!

 

[SwampNut]

I did a project many years ago to create a system to calculate how much to pay farmers not to farm, and sell our water to CA. Also CA has the unique ability to have drought, forest fire, and flood at the same time.

 

[Crissa]

-Crissa

 

[Zabhawkin]

California buys something like 2Gw of our wind power which is nearly all of it.