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Understanding how EV drivers make decisions about charging I American Public Power ... Page 4 of 11 <br /> can walk to them easily within two or three minutes. Plug in your vehicle, run some <br /> errands, and come back," said Tom Sagstetter, ERMU conservation and key accounts <br /> manager. <br /> Is nighttime the right time? <br /> Like many utilities investing in EV charging, ERMU found appeal in the load pattern <br /> changes EVs offer. The expectation is that EV owners will do most of their charging <br /> when demand for electricity is otherwise low and supply at a surplus. <br /> "From the highest level, we started looking at EV as a part of a strategic planning <br /> initiative. We identified EVs as one of the very unique opportunities where we can grow <br /> load at the right time of the day while being environmentally responsible," Adams said. <br /> The "right time" is nighttime in Elk River's home state of Minnesota — and in most <br /> places. <br /> California, however, is becoming an exception, with its vast amount of renewable <br /> energy leading to a daytime energy surplus. Sacramento Municipal Utility District, an <br /> early leader in researching EVs, is exploring how to encourage daytime charging. <br /> Potential exists to help tackle California's infamous "duck curve" by encouraging some <br /> EV charging during the day, according to Lupe Jimenez, manager for electric <br /> transportation and energy storage research and development at SMUD. The duck curve <br /> is a graphic representation of the flood of solar energy that creates a daytime energy <br /> surplus. The surplus is depicted in the form of a fat duck belly. Jimenez sees the <br /> possibility of trimming the chart's belly by absorbing the energy through EV charging <br /> during the day. <br /> "As renewables continue to proliferate and as electric vehicles become more common, <br /> we are going to have the opportunity to help shape that in real time, and we'd rather get <br /> ahead of it than wait until it's a problem," Jimenez said. <br /> Of course, many people are not at home during the day; they are at work. So, <br /> encouraging employers to install EV charging stations is key to shifting the demand <br /> pattern. <br /> https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/und 98 <br /> standing-how-ev-drivers-make-decisi... 7/30/2018 <br />