PG&E: E7 better than E9, right?

Since PG&E makes it so complicated to actually understand their "tariffs", here's a good break down of the differences between E7 and E9 -

E7: https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=...om/pdf%20files/PGE%20E7%20Rate%20Schedule.pdf
E9: https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=...om/pdf%20files/PGE%20E9%20Rate%20Schedule.pdf

For those of us lucky enough to have a Leaf (EV) and a solar power system (PV) and be on E7 - it seems to me it's a "no brainer" to stay on E7 instead of switching to E9.

Am I right?
If I am, does anyone know if I need to contact PG&E to make this choice explicit?

My thoughts exactly. E7 and solar is the way to go. Not quite as cheap off-peak rates but higher peak rates during prime electricity generating hours. Also more off-peak hours to allow for more flexie charging regimens. E9 is a good option for those who can't get E7.

Now I just need to upgrade my inverter and add more panels!

nader said:

My thoughts exactly. E7 and solar is the way to go. Not quite as cheap off-peak rates but higher peak rates during prime electricity generating hours. Also more off-peak hours to allow for more flexie charging regimens. E9 is a good option for those who can't get E7.

Now I just need to upgrade my inverter and add more panels!

Click to expand...

If you're on E7 with solar don't change, because I don't think you can go back if you change your mind. E7 was not available for me, so E9 was the next best. Just got my monthly report and even with L2 charging my car 4 1/2 hours every night, I had a credit of $4 dollars! Got to love it! :mrgreen:

Right, anybody lucky enough to have E7 should keep it until PG&E forces you off of it. I have E6, which is not as good as E7, and I am going to keep it rather than go to E9. But I have a relatively big (7 kW) solar system and relatively low (6K/yr) car mileage. The tradeoffs will be different for others.

As to contacting PG&E: What they don't know won't hurt you. If you tell them, they might consider this a perfect opportunity to force you off a schedule they are trying to get rid of.

Ray

Awesome - thanks everyone for confirming and laying out the different reasons for keeping E7. Interesting times we live in!

I think we've probably talked in person about the rates, possibly even E-7 vs. E-9. The one thing that really makes the difference, at least when I last did thorough analysis years ago, is that E-7 peak is 12pm to 6pm which is a much better match to Solar Electric (PV) peak electricity generation that drives the electricity backwards at these high peak rates.

Solar wakes up around 10am ramps up at 11am or so and is going strong until 5 or 6 pm, so the 12pm - 6pm catches a good portion of the peak solar production.

E-9 the peak is 2pm to 9pm, which is pretty silly. For Solar, missing that additional 2 hours of driving the meter bacwards at peak rates from 12pm - 2pm is significant, and to add to the insult, the peak rates last till 9pm, but the grid peak has subsided aroung 6 - 7pm, yet with E-9, you're thinking oh I should lay off the TV, laundry and cooking until 9pm!

It will depend on your usage, and if you're really into it, get a TED 5000 or other whole house energy monitor, monitor your usage and plug that into the rate schedule, taking into account any adjustments to your consumption you might make for the rate schedule. In general, unless your EV uses 100+ kW/day, the E-7 is the better rate by far, especially of you have Solar Electric (PV).

For me, once you have E-7 - hold on to it - don't ever, ever let it go, because you probably won't be able to get it back!

E6 is in between giving peak around 1PM-7PM.
E7 wasn't available when I got solar so I am stuck with E6. Wish I had E7 as I don't get as much benefit from noon to 1PM.

I also have an old TOU meter from before daylight savings start/stop got adjusted, so some months it is off by an hour from the wall clock. I try to be careful then to not start doing laundry and cooking or EV charging right at 7PM since off-peak got shifted to 8PM.

(PG&E sent me a memo long ago saying that they had no intention to update the firmware to track the new daylight savings rules... Sigh...)