AgFit Program Expands with Hourly Flex Pricing for Agriculture
Hourly Flex Pricing is a three-year pilot program that offers a way for agricultural customers to lower their energy costs. Customers that can shift the time of their electricity use could benefit from this pilot. Eligible customers could receive financial incentives to offset installation costs of irrigation automation equipment.
VCE’s AgFIT program is evolving into a new pilot program! Hourly Flex Pricing will never cost you more than your standard electric bill. You receive your electric bill and pay it as usual. Once annually, if you did better on the pilot rate than on your standard rate, you’ll receive a credit.
Prices change hourly and are set the day before, so now you can plan ahead. You can save money by using energy when it’s plentiful and cheaper, and shift usage away from expensive peak times. Customers have the opportunity to schedule energy use ahead of time to lock in better prices. Demand charges are included in the pilot rates that you see and choose, so no more unpleasant surprises from this unpredictable charge on your bill.
Here’s What You Need to Know about Hourly Flex Pricing:
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- Duration – The pilot runs until December 31, 2027, and is available to qualifying agricultural customers.
- Plan Your Savings – Save money by using energy when it’s more plentiful and cheaper. Shift your usage away from expensive peak times.
- Lock in Low Prices – Transactions for energy can be made from one to seven days before the usage date. Electricity prices change hourly and agricultural price forecasts are published seven days in advance with final prices set one day in advance. Agricultural customers have the opportunity to lock in advance prices and save.
- Virtually Risk Free – Hourly Flex Pricing is easy, you never pay more than you would have on your standard rate. Billing is based on your current rate plan. You receive a credit after each 12 months if your cost was less on the Hour Flex Pricing compared to your current rate plan.
- Incentives – Agricultural customers may be eligible for a one-time incentive to reimburse the costs for the purchase of automation technology needed to manage energy use. Growers can receive up to $160/kW of enrolled shiftable load, capped at 100% of the cost of installation.
- Flexibility – We recommend that you remain in the program for the duration of the pilot to save the most money, but customers can cancel at any time.
- Rolling over from AgFIT – If you’re currently enrolled in AgFIT, we’ll reach out to you to help you transition to Hourly Flex Pricing. Polaris is continuing to partner with us to support its automated irrigation systems, so your Polaris devices and software will continue to help you save.
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Eligible Rates:
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Ag <35 kW Low Use (AG-A1)
Ag <35 kW High Use (AG-A2)
Ag 35+ kW Medium Use (AG-B)
Ag 35+ kW High Use (AG-C)
If you are not currently on an eligible agricultural rate (above), you may be able to easily change your rate to an eligible rate to participate. For an estimate of your incentives, email PG&E at vgipilotcommunications@pge.com to learn more.