Originally Posted by
Tombie
You’re using averages again - the peaks will come when there are EVs - that are used DAILY, then come home and plug in for the night (so little to no solar assist).
This applies to MOST of Australia, not the few northern parts where sunlight is plentiful after the normal day is done.
ACs and Pools when they cut in are lazy, just a few amps of demand. EVs with decent chargers are pulling 20-50amp. Some are proposing going 175a charging - that’s 17 pool pumps all running at once.
Even a low spec EV charging at 25a is ~3 pools at once.
That means only another 900k of EVs and we’re drawing the same current as ALL pools running at once! Imagine that on Wednesday night, over 30° outside, everyone’s AC on… can you say Brown/Black Out!
There’s a reason grid base load is high when everyone gets home now, imagine it when everyone comes home, throws on the AC, kicks the pool on so they can have a swim and then plugs in the good old EV ready for the morning!
As for getting the high FIT, I paid for that privilege- arrays were $15k back then. Fortunately its ROI was 3 years.
Once the pressure is on to radically upgrade the grid, and the price is disclosed, watch the prices climb - power distribution isn’t cheap, and we will all pay for it in spades. Those who can least afford it (and likely won’t own a car under 15 years old) will get ****ed over twice - their home energy bills will skyrocket (already are) and their fuel bills will likely follow (less demand, less volume, higher prices).
It’s easy to sit back and say it’s progress, if you’re in a position like me and my wife, however for those on lower incomes, this is going to push them over the edge financially. On costs will show up in support services, petty crime increases, reduced standard of living for many and other side effects.
Like renewables, once the true cost is realised and subsidies are revoked, only then will the true position be fully understood.
In the meantime, the early adopters can enjoy the benefits.