Key takeaways:
- For Central Florida businesses, energy bills can get high during the summer months, especially if you have EV chargers.
- Let’s break down what’s behind these higher energy costs and go over some strategies to help you cut charging costs.
Whether you’re offering EV charging as a perk for your customers or building an EV charging infrastructure for your fleet, powering electric vehicles comes with a cost.
As your electricity usage increases during the summer months with AC, it’s important to explore strategies to cut charging costs.
Why Does EV Charging Cost More in the Summer for Central Florida Businesses?
Energy costs can go up in the summer for a few different reasons:
- Florida goes through a summer boom every year as tourists flock in. You might have more people using your chargers if they’re available to customers, or your fleet might be busier than usual.
- High usage makes electrical failures more likely. If this happens, you’ll have to pay for repairs or upgrades with little time to plan.
- Another important factor is how your utility prices energy for commercial customers.
Let’s take a closer look at these energy prices.
Orlando Utilities Commission
With Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC), your business falls into one of two categories: General Service Non-Demand (GSND) or General Service Demand (GSD).
GSDN customers get a lower monthly service fee but pay more per kWh. As a GSD customer, you’re paying a higher monthly service fee and benefit from a lower rate.
If your business exceeds 50 kW of demand for two months in a year, OUC will move you to a GSD plan. This can happen due to increased AC usage combined with EV charging in the summer.
This switch isn’t always beneficial. You’re getting a lower per kWh price with a GSD account, but the higher monthly charge is only worth it if your overall usage is high enough.
Florida Light & Power
Florida Lights & Power, like many other utilities, uses a demand charge model. If you look at your energy bill, you’ll see a monthly fee based on your highest power usage over a specific time interval, rather than your total energy usage over the month.
Your peak usage can increase when you have several EC chargers and a commercial AC unit running simultaneously, resulting in demand charges.
How Can Florida Businesses Cut EV Charging Costs in the Summer?
We recommend a few strategies to manage your charging costs. If you’re not sure how to implement them, EVPlugz can assess your current infrastructure and discuss your options.
Here’s how you can save on EV charging costs:
- If you have a time-of-use plan, avoid charging during peak hours or account for higher costs if customers pay for this amenity.
- Use smart charging and load management technology to balance power load and keep demand charges down.
- Stagger charging sessions for multiple fleet vehicles to reduce peak usage.
- Use energy-monitoring software to keep an eye on usage and pause charging when you reach a threshold.
- Ensure your current electrical infrastructure can handle EV charging and AC loads. Use energy management solutions to avoid overloading it if needed.
- Choose EV chargers with remote control features to manage access and scheduling.
- Look into power-sharing among multiple EV chargers to distribute energy rather than having each charger pull a separate load.
- Go over your current energy plan. Your utility might offer another option better suited to your needs.
- A quick training session that reminds drivers and staff to avoid mid-day charging can save you a lot of money.
- Consider alternative power sources, such as battery storage you can fill up when energy rates are low, or a solar array to power your EV chargers.
These strategies are easier to implement with the right EV charging infrastructure in place. Consider scheduling an assessment before your busy summer season.
Schedule Your EV Charging Assessment With EVPlugz
As a local EV charger installer, EVPlugz understands how the summer boom can change the energy needs of your business.
Whether you have EV chargers for your customers or your fleet, we can do a thorough assessment of your charging capacity and projected energy loads once your AC is running. We can also explore strategies to better manage your energy usage and keep charging costs down.
Give us a call today at +1 (321) 549 7002 or contact us online to schedule a commercial EV charging assessment.
FAQ
Why does EV charging cost more in the summer in Central Florida?
The summer is a busy time for Florida businesses, and energy use can spike due to AC usage and increased business activity. When EV charging is added to that, your total energy demand and costs can rise quickly.
When is the best time to charge EVs to save money?
Schedule EV charging in the early morning or overnight to avoid peak hours. Check with your utility to find out if you’re on a time-of-use plan and when peak rates apply.
How can I avoid high-demand charges on my energy bill?
Use smart charging systems, stagger charging sessions, and monitor your energy use to avoid exceeding peak thresholds.
Do I need to upgrade my business’s electrical systems to add EV chargers?
It depends on your current infrastructure and charging needs. Load management and power-sharing technology can be enough to support EV charging without significant upgrades.
