Designing Distribution Network Tariffs in the US with an Application to Increased Electric Vehicle Adoption

B-Tier
Journal: The Energy Journal
Year: 2025
Volume: 46
Issue: 6
Pages: 143-165

Authors (5)

Graham Turk (not in RePEc) Tim Schittekatte (not in RePEc) Pablo Duenas-Martinez (not in RePEc) Paul L. Joskow (Massachusetts Institute of Tec...) Richard Schmalensee (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

0.402 = (α=2.01 / 5 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Time-of-use (TOU) tariffs that vary the cost per kWh to reflect wide variations in generation and wholesale market costs give incentives to shift all electric vehicle (EV) charging to low-price periods. As EV penetration increases, such tariffs would substantially raise the local kW demand in those low-priced periods, which eventually would lead to increasing network expansion costs. A straightforward way to mitigate this problem is to separate energy charges from network charges, with appropriate rate designs for each. This paper uses a realistic case study to investigate the implications of combining TOU energy charges with various network tariff designs in the face of increased EV penetration. Our results provide support for the adoption in the US of ex-ante subscribed capacity tariffs (subscription charges), which give consumers incentives to reduce their peak kW demands. Reducing costs of EV ownership (a priority for many US states) need not be pursued at the expense of broader affordability goals. JEL classification: L51, L94, L97, Q41, D40

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:sae:enejou:v:46:y:2025:i:6:p:143-165
Journal Field
Energy
Author Count
5
Added to Database
2026-01-25