EV Charging Research Project Terms

CUSTOMER PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT

The Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Research Pilot (“Pilot”), offered by Peninsula Clean Energy Authority (“PCE”) and PCE-selected contractors will provide PCE customers with EV charge management services and/or incentives, subject to the terms below.

Specific Terms and Conditions

Overview: The Pilot, offered through PCE and PCE-selected contractors, is a pilot that will evaluate the impacts and potential benefits of EV managed charging services intended to lower costs for participating customers and provide benefits to the grid while still ensuring EVs are charged at levels needed by their drivers. The Pilot includes an experimental design to evaluate different strategies to encourage participation and offer benefits. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of several experimental groups, which will receive different charge management functionality and benefits offered, which will be explained according to Participants according to the group in which they are assigned, at the time of enrollment. Further, some customers may be offered various benefits for participation while others may not receive benefits; allocation of benefits under the Pilot is at the sole discretion of PCE Randomly selected customers will be given the chance to join the Pilot, subject to these terms, with notice of the incentive amount (if any) at the time of recruitment. All participants active at the close of the Pilot will be entered in a random prize drawing for a $500 prize. Participants may opt out, subject to the details below.

Duration: The Pilot is expected to begin recruiting customers to participate in April 2023 (approximate). The experimental period will run approximately 9 months and is expected to begin about 2-3 months after initial customer recruitment, beginning on or around June 1, 2023, and ending on or around February 29, 2024. The duration of the Pilot is subject to change at PCE’s sole discretion. PCE may elect to continue the Pilot beyond the experimental period in which case the services will continue to be offered, possibly under modified terms as defined by PCE. Participants may opt-out at any time.

Basic Eligibility: To participate in the Pilot, Participants must: 1) be a PCE customer 2) charge an EV at their place of residence, and 3) utilize an EV that is compatible with the Pilot. Additional eligibility may apply at PCE’s discretion, as detailed below in “Additional Eligibility.”

Additional Eligibility: To qualify for participation in the experimental component of the Pilot, participants must be enrolled in either the EV2A or ETOU-C rate. PCE, at its sole discretion, may apply additional eligibility for participation in the Pilot, including, but not limited to, rate tariff, charging locations, dwelling type, vehicle type, vehicle connectivity, etc. Additional eligibility may be created or modified by PCE at any time, without notice to customers.

Pilot Services Offered: The Pilot is offering the following services at no cost to participants. Participants may receive EV charge monitoring services, charge management services (detailed below), rate adjustments applied as on-bill credits or debits, enrollment in experimental rates, or any combination these services.

EV Charge Management: Customers enrolled in experimental groups receiving charge management services will have their EV’s charging managed subject to PCE’s discretion. The goals of smart charging are to shift as much charging to occur during off-peak as practicable, while still adhering to customer inputs in the PCE-selected contractors’ managed charging system, such as vehicle departure times and charging needs. PCE makes no guarantees that managed charging systems will perform as intended and takes no responsibility for user error or system malfunction that may leave an EV with less than anticipated charge levels.

Participation Group and Enrollment Code: Customers will be randomly assigned to various participation groups in the Pilot, to monitor the relative impacts and benefits of various Pilot designs and options. Customers will be provided an enrollment code at the time of initial recruitment. Customers may only use the enrollment code in which they are given and may not share this code with anyone else. Enrollment in a different group than the one assigned or sharing the enrollment code will result in removal from the Pilot and potential forfeiture of any incentives.

Experimental Rates: Some customers may be given the option of enrolling into Experimental Rates as part of this Pilot. These rates will mirror their current rates, with a price modification that will be explained during the time of enrollment. For example, an experimental rate may increase the price of energy during on-peak hours and/or decrease the price of energy during off-peak hours. Customer agrees that these rates are for experimental purposes and may not be utilizing “bill quality” data. Furthermore, Customer agrees to remain in these experimental rates during the duration of the Pilot. Switching rates or opting out of these rates will result in removal from the Pilot and forfeiture of any incentives of a random prize drawing, as relevant.

Participation Sweepstakes: All participating customers that remain active in the Pilot until the Pilot closes (approximately February 2024) will be entered into a random prize drawing for the chance to win one of twenty (20) $500 prizes. Customers must remain enrolled for the entire duration of the experimental period of the Pilot, expected to last approximately nine (9) months. Only one prize per customer. No purchase is necessary to enter or win the sweepstakes. Participants will be automatically entered into the sweepstakes. Entry for the sweepstakes will be during the initial recruitment period for this Pilot, expected to last from approximately April – June 2023. The drawing will occur on/around February 29, 2024 and will consist of participants currently enrolled in the Pilot at that time.

Incentives: Some customers may receive incentives for their participation in the Pilot. These incentives are subject to available funding and may be modified or terminated by PCE without notice.

Opt Out: Customers may opt out of the Pilot at any time. Opt out instructions will be posted to the Managed Charging page of the PCE website and may vary by participation group. Opting out may forfeit the ability to collect incentives and/or sweepstakes entry, as relevant.

Participation: Participation in the Pilot is voluntary and subject to PCE’s sole discretion. PCE may remove Customers from the Pilot for any reason.

Data Sharing: Anonymized customer data, including home and vehicle energy usage data and how energy usage varies by customer characteristics such as home charging configurations, rate types, vehicle types, benefits offered as part of the Pilot, etc. may be shared with PCE-selected research partners for analytical purposes to learn about EV charging and energy usage patterns and behaviors and inform future PCE program design and energy planning. Aggregated information about energy use and customer characteristics may be shared publicly as part of research publication and other public communications however, public use of individually identifiable information is strictly prohibited. PCE will never sell your data or provide personally identifiable data.

General Terms and Conditions

Release of Claims Against, and Hold Harmless of, Peninsula Clean Energy Authority and Contractors: Customer discharges and releases PCE, its contractors and their officers, employers, employees, and agents from and against any and all claims, demands, liabilities, obligations, damages or chose in action, legal or equitable, of whatever kind or nature, including negligence by PCE, its contractors, in which Customer, and Customer’s successors in interest, heirs, estates or personal representatives, or family members, now may have or assert, or may have had in the past or may have in the future, against PCE, its contractors as the result of, based upon, arising out of, or connected with PCE, its contractor’s involvement with the Project. Customer is on notice of and hereby specifically and expressly waives the provisions of California Civil Code § 1542, which provides that a “general release does not extend to claims which the creditor does not know or suspect to exist in his favor at the time of executing the release, which if known by him must have materially affected his settlement with the debtor.” Customer also agrees to indemnify and hold harmless PCE, its contractors from any and all claims, actions, suits, procedures, costs, expenses, damages, and liabilities, including attorney’s fees and costs, brought as a result of PCE, its contractor’s involvement with the Pilot, and to reimburse Peninsula Clean Energy Authority, its contractors for any such expenses incurred.

Incidental and Consequential Damages: BOTH PARTIES AGREE NEITHER PARTY SHALL BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES.

Compliance with Laws: Customer shall comply with all federal, state, and municipal laws, ordinances, rules, orders, and regulations which apply to its actions.

No Obligation: Customer is not obligated to purchase any service or other service not funded by this Pilot, through PCE.

Availability of Funds: This Pilot, including incentives, is available at PCE’s discretion, and subject to available funding. This Pilot may be modified or terminated without notice.

Customer:
I CERTIFY THAT I have read and understood the Participation Agreement. I certify that the information I have provided is true and correct.