CA Senate Greenlights Sen. Skinner’s SB 233, Using EVs to Power Homes
The California Senate has greenlighted SB 233, which will help ensure that electric vehicle owners have the capability to use their EV’s battery to power their homes and reduce their energy bills. The legislation is also designed to help relieve strain on the state’s electrical grid.
Under SB 233, all new EVs sold in California by 2030 would be required to come equipped with bidirectional charging, a technology that allows EV batteries to power homes, businesses, or the grid.
“The battery capacity in today’s electric vehicles give them the potential to be mini power plants on wheels. That’s crucial as California continues to face unprecedented impacts from climate change, including record heatwaves, wildfires, and destructive storms that can lead to power outages,” said Sen. Skinner, D-Berkeley. “With SB 233, California EV owners will have a green alternative instead of relying on air-polluting, diesel-fueled backup generators.”
The Senate approved SB 233 on Tuesday evening on a 29-9 vote. The legislation now goes to the state Assembly for consideration.
“Using electric vehicles as ‘batteries on wheels’ will help California keep the lights on, save money and reduce air pollution as we face more power outages due to extreme weather caused by climate change,” said Ellie Cohen, CEO of The Climate Center, sponsor of SB 233. “It all starts with EVs having the capacity to send power back to our homes and the grid by being bidirectional. We are grateful to Senator Nancy Skinner for leading the charge on this and to the 29 senators who voted in support. As we embark on a once-in-a-generation investment of billions of dollars for clean transportation, now is the moment for California to provide global leadership: Bidirectional electric vehicles are a critical component of a safe, reliable, and equitable power system for all.”
California is projected to have at least 8 million EVs on the road by 2030. Currently, many EVs on the market already have bidirectional charging, including the Nissan Leaf, which is one of the most affordable EVs available. In addition, Tesla plans to equip all of its EVs with bidirectional charging by 2025. Some automakers, including Ford, with its F-150 Lightning pickup truck, are now aggressively marketing the capability of EVs to power homes.
With bidirectional charging, an EV owner would be able to reduce their electricity bills by using their EV battery to power their homes during those times when electricity demand and energy rates are their highest. EV owners could then recharge their battery during non-peak hours when rates are lower, including during the day when solar power is plentiful.
SB 233 is also designed to reverse a troubling trend: In recent years, Californians have increasingly responded to power outages and rolling blackouts by purchasing backup generators, especially diesel generators that emit significant amounts of air pollution and are harmful to public health. EV batteries currently have the ability to power a home for up to three days, and so are a green alternative to backup generators, especially during those times when a power outage is necessary.
“Bidirectional charging will put power in the hands of Californians, enabling EV owners to power their homes and the electric grid at the same time,” Skinner added. “SB 233 will also help California maintain its leadership role in the fight against climate change.”
Sen. Nancy Skinner represents the 9th Senate District and is chair of the Senate Budget Committee and the California Legislative Women’s Caucus.