Month: March 2023

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Rappahannock Part 3: We’re All Going To Die

Okay, admittedly that title is a little over the top. The point, as we resume our discussion of presentation by Rappahannock Electric Cooperative*, is that everything has a life-span and much of our existing infrastructure is too old or too weak to support the growing demand of energy in America.

The solution is to revitalize and strengthen, harden, if you will, the grid to meet the growing need, but that, of course, takes money and resources. The question becomes, “Who is going to pay for it?” The real answer is you, me and all the other peoples of this land. Whether it’s via government through taxes or via utilities through increased energy rates, I guarantee we are going to pay for it.

That being said, we look at scenarios that Rappahannock put forth and the cost associated with each.

We also find out that Ben, sometimes… but rarely, gets confused and the senility kicks in. The real question is, “what point should we be concerned?”

*Rappahannock Electric Cooperative lies in the northern and eastern part of Virginia serving 170,000+ members. Being a cooperative of that size, REC is influential in the co-op world because of not only their size, but by their proximity to industry organizations like the NRECA and policy makers like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the US Department of Energy. This has allowed them to become a proving ground for many programs, leading the way in innovation and understanding for other cooperatives, and shaping the approach to challenges in the industry. As such, REC releases many reports, studies, and presentations showing their results both independently and jointly with other organizations.

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Rappahannock Part 2: What’s In Your Panel?

Continuing our discussion of presentation by Rappahannock Electric Cooperative* showcasing their perception of the problem they face and what their system may look like in 2023. Brent and Ben continue to explore why charging an F-150 Lightning at 80 Amps would seem beneficial, but there are other considerations to keep in mind.

Charging at Level 2 at 80A may require some serious upgrades to, not only, your service entrance but possibly the transformer on the utilities side of the equation. Hopefully it won’t, but it’s worth having a conversation with your utility and a qualified electrician before driving off the lot.

We want your EV experience to be positive, so we’re just pointing out pitfalls. There are significant cost benefits to EV ownership and upgrades will pay for themselves in time, but it pays to understand and plan instead of presume and react.

For the record, the “S” in EVSE stands for Supply. (Duh… big red truck.)

*Rappahannock Electric Cooperative lies in the northern and eastern part of Virginia serving 170,000+ members. Being a cooperative of that size, REC is influential in the co-op world because of not only their size, but by their proximity to industry organizations like the NRECA and policy makers like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the US Department of Energy. This has allowed them to become a proving ground for many programs, leading the way in innovation and understanding for other cooperatives, and shaping the approach to challenges in the industry. As such, REC releases many reports, studies, and presentations showing their results both independently and jointly with other organizations.

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Rappahannock Part 1: Mo Members, Mo Problems

Electric cooperatives, their members, and EV owners really want the same things: affordable and reliable electricity. The concern for co-ops that most members are unaware of is balancing the increasing demand of the EV revolution and the limitations in the existing infrastructure in such a way to maintain affordable reliability. There is definitely a gap between the two.

Working for an electric co-op, Brent and Ben have access to reports, studies and presentations designed for industry personnel. Brent sat through a presentation by Rappahannock Electric Cooperative* showcasing their perception of the problem they face and what their system may look like in 2023. REC also forecasts what some of these changes might cost.

Of course for the (rural) EV Diaries crew, this raised even more considerations and questions. Join us for an overview of Rappahannock’s discovery and what implications it has on the consumption and overall requirement for the electric grid.

*Rappahannock Electric Cooperative lies in the northern and eastern part of Virginia serving 170,000+ members. Being a cooperative of that size, REC is influential in the co-op world because of not only their size, but by their proximity to industry organizations like the NRECA and policy makers like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the US Department of Energy. This has allowed them to become a proving ground for many programs, leading the way in innovation and understanding for other cooperatives, and shaping the approach to challenges in the industry. As such, REC releases many reports, studies, and presentations showing their results both independently and jointly with other organizations.

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Taking A Trip Part 3: One Truck, Two Truck…

Red Truck, Blue Truck…

This one earns a big gold star.

This one travels really far.

Say! What a lot of EV trucks there are!!!

Wrapping up our three part Taking a Trip discussion. Ben and Brent talk through what it would be like (possibly) to travel 750 miles one way from southeastern Kentucky to Orlando, Florida in an electric vehicle.

Using the published specifications of the base model F 150 Lightning, Ben breaks down the theoretical time and cost it would take to make the trip versus Brent’s actual experience with his Supercharged V6 F 150.

We realize this is not a true comparison because we would have to make the same trip in both vehicles. That being said, even if we are half wrong, we believe this exercise and the results are eye-opening to prove the possibilities of EVs in small-town America.

If nothing else, you can make a drinking game out of the entire series; take a shot every time Ben says “theoretical“.

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Taking A Trip Part 2: Out Of The Box, Even With A Fox…

EV’s are here, one can’t deny. You can’t deny, don’t even try…

But can I drive one here or there? Can I drive one anywhere?

You can drive one here or there. You can drive one everywhere.

Can I drive one to the moon? No, not today, it is too soon.

But you can drive them wherever you can go. Planning is key now on to the show.

In this episode, Brent and Ben continue the discussion of what a road trip may look like, specifically knowing what your EV is capable of and it’s efficiency is fundamental in getting you where you want to go. Infrastructure is still key, but the network of charging locations is growing daily and limited availability will be a thing of the past.

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