IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ces/ceswps/_11386.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Can Electric Vehicles Aid the Renewable Transition? Evidence from a Field Experiment Incentivising Midday Charging

Author

Listed:
  • Andrea La Nauze
  • Lana Friesen
  • Kai Li Lim
  • Flavio Menezes
  • Lionel Page
  • Thara Philip
  • Jake Whitehead

Abstract

In a field experiment tracking 390 electric vehicles minute-by-minute, we show that incentives reduce charging by 17%—27% during peak times and increase it by 34% during midday when solar generation is highest. Peak charging decreases at home, while midday charging rises out of the home. Participants shift and reduce charging, drive less, and run batteries lower. We find heterogeneity based on rooftop solar ownership, commuting, and having a fast home charger. These findings suggest electric vehicles can support the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy and highlight the enabling role of charging infrastructure.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrea La Nauze & Lana Friesen & Kai Li Lim & Flavio Menezes & Lionel Page & Thara Philip & Jake Whitehead, 2024. "Can Electric Vehicles Aid the Renewable Transition? Evidence from a Field Experiment Incentivising Midday Charging," CESifo Working Paper Series 11386, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11386
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.cesifo.org/DocDL/cesifo1_wp11386.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Anderson, Michael L., 2008. "Multiple Inference and Gender Differences in the Effects of Early Intervention: A Reevaluation of the Abecedarian, Perry Preschool, and Early Training Projects," Journal of the American Statistical Association, American Statistical Association, vol. 103(484), pages 1481-1495.
    2. Wolbertus, Rick & Kroesen, Maarten & van den Hoed, Robert & Chorus, Caspar, 2018. "Fully charged: An empirical study into the factors that influence connection times at EV-charging stations," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 1-7.
    3. Stephen P. Holland & Erin T. Mansur & Andrew J. Yates, 2021. "The Electric Vehicle Transition and the Economics of Banning Gasoline Vehicles," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 13(3), pages 316-344, August.
    4. Andrea La Nauze, 2019. "Power from the People: Rooftop Solar and a Downward-Sloping Supply of Electricity," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 6(6), pages 1135-1168.
    5. Szinai, Julia K. & Sheppard, Colin J.R. & Abhyankar, Nikit & Gopal, Anand R., 2020. "Reduced grid operating costs and renewable energy curtailment with electric vehicle charge management," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    6. Kester, Johannes & Noel, Lance & Zarazua de Rubens, Gerardo & Sovacool, Benjamin K., 2018. "Promoting Vehicle to Grid (V2G) in the Nordic region: Expert advice on policy mechanisms for accelerated diffusion," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 422-432.
    7. Matthew Harding & Steven Sexton, 2017. "Household Response to Time-Varying Electricity Prices," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 9(1), pages 337-359, October.
    8. Parsons, George R. & Hidrue, Michael K. & Kempton, Willett & Gardner, Meryl P., 2014. "Willingness to pay for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) electric vehicles and their contract terms," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 313-324.
    9. Matthew Harding & Steven Sexton, 2017. "Household Response to Time-Varying Electricity Prices," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 9(1), pages 337-359, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Leslie A. Martin, 2022. "Driving on Sunbeams: Interactions Between Price Incentives for Electric Vehicles, Residential Solar Photovoltaics and Household Battery Systems," Economic Papers, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 41(4), pages 369-384, December.
    2. Gosnell, Greer & McCoy, Daire, 2023. "Market failures and willingness to accept smart meters: Experimental evidence from the UK," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    3. John List & Ioannis Pragidis & Michael Price, 2024. "Toward an Understanding of the Economics of Prosumers: Evidence from a Natural Field Experiment in Energy," Natural Field Experiments 00791, The Field Experiments Website.
    4. Garnache, Cloé & Hernaes, Øystein & Imenes, Anders Gravir, 2022. "Which Households Respond to Electricity Peak Pricing amid High Levels of Electrification?," IZA Discussion Papers 15194, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Tarroja, Brian & Hittinger, Eric, 2021. "The value of consumer acceptance of controlled electric vehicle charging in a decarbonizing grid: The case of California," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 229(C).
    6. Harding, Matthew & Lamarche, Carlos, 2019. "A panel quantile approach to attrition bias in Big Data: Evidence from a randomized experiment," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 211(1), pages 61-82.
    7. Zeng, Bo & Sun, Bo & Wei, Xuan & Gong, Dunwei & Zhao, Dongbo & Singh, Chanan, 2020. "Capacity value estimation of plug-in electric vehicle parking-lots in urban power systems: A physical-social coupling perspective," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    8. Gonzalez Venegas, Felipe & Petit, Marc & Perez, Yannick, 2021. "Active integration of electric vehicles into distribution grids: Barriers and frameworks for flexibility services," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    9. David Borge-Diez & Pedro Miguel Ortega-Cabezas & Antonio Colmenar-Santos & Jorge Juan Blanes-Peiró, 2021. "Contribution of Driving Efficiency to Vehicle-to-Building," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-30, June.
    10. Stelmach, Greg & Zanocco, Chad & Flora, June & Rajagopal, Ram & Boudet, Hilary S., 2020. "Exploring household energy rules and activities during peak demand to better determine potential responsiveness to time-of-use pricing," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    11. Cabot, Clément & Villavicencio, Manuel, 2024. "Second-best electricity pricing in France: Effectiveness of existing rates in evolving power markets," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    12. Signer, Tim & Baumgartner, Nora & Ruppert, Manuel & Sandmeier, Thorben & Fichtner, Wolf, 2024. "Modeling V2G spot market trading: The impact of charging tariffs on economic viability," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    13. Fabra, Natalia, 2021. "The energy transition: An industrial economics perspective," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    14. Harding, Matthew & Kettler, Kyle & Lamarche, Carlos & Ma, Lala, 2023. "The (alleged) environmental and social benefits of dynamic pricing," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 574-593.
    15. Megan R. Bailey & David P. Brown & Blake C. Shaffer & Frank A. Wolak, 2023. "Show Me the Money! Incentives and Nudges to Shift Electric Vehicle Charge Timing," NBER Working Papers 31630, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    16. Megan R. Bailey & David P. Brown & Erica Myers & Blake C. Shaffer & Frank A. Wolak, 2024. "Electric Vehicles and the Energy Transition: Unintended Consequences of a Common Retail Rate Design," NBER Working Papers 32886, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    17. Hofmann, Matthias & Lindberg, Karen Byskov, 2024. "Evidence of households' demand flexibility in response to variable hourly electricity prices – Results from a comprehensive field experiment in Norway," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    18. Joshua Blonz & Karen Palmer & Casey J. Wichman & Derek C. Wietelman, 2025. "Smart Thermostats, Automation, and Time-Varying Prices," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 17(1), pages 90-125, January.
    19. Krzysztof Zagrajek, 2021. "A Survey Data Approach for Determining the Probability Values of Vehicle-to-Grid Service Provision," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-38, November.
    20. Mehdizadeh, Milad & Nayum, Alim & Nordfjærn, Trond & Klöckner, Christian A., 2024. "Are Norwegian car users ready for a transition to vehicle-to-grid technology?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 126-136.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    electric vehicles; field experiment; renewable energy; rooftop solar; dynamic electricity prices;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q41 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Demand and Supply; Prices
    • Q42 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Alternative Energy Sources
    • Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy
    • R41 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Transportation: Demand, Supply, and Congestion; Travel Time; Safety and Accidents; Transportation Noise

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11386. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Klaus Wohlrabe (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cesifde.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.