The value of consumer acceptance of controlled electric vehicle charging in a decarbonizing grid: The case of California

Abstract Plug-in electric vehicles charged with zero-carbon electricity are important for decarbonizing regional energy systems. Flexible charging of these vehicles aids with grid integration of wind and solar generation but may require drivers to provide information about their travel patterns and allow grid operators to control the charging of their vehicles. Limited acceptance of flexible charging can potentially limit greenhouse gas emissions reductions from electric vehicle deployment. Therefore, here we assess how varying the extent of consumer acceptance of flexible charging affects electric vehicle greenhouse gas emissions reductions in a highly decarbonized California grid (>70% zero-carbon), a region with mandated zero-emission vehicle deployment and electricity decarbonization targets. We quantify the monetary value of flexible charging based on the reduction in stationary storage required to achieve a given zero-carbon penetration as flexible charging is adopted. We find that increased participation in smart charging and vehicle-to-grid increases zero-carbon generation uptake by up to 5.2% and 11.1%, respectively. The value of smart charging only reaches $87 per vehicle-year while that for vehicle-to-grid can reach $2,850 per vehicle-year. Non-monetary incentives may be needed to increase smart charging participation. These results can inform future analyses on the supply and demand for participation in flexible charging programs.