Cutting EV Charging Costs by 80% with Solar + Storage with Tom McCalmont of Paired Power

Grid Connections

Summary
We kick off season 7 of Grid Connections with Tom McCalmont, CEO of Paired Power, breaks down how microgrid EV charging—powered by solar and supported by intelligent load management and battery storage—is reshaping the future of clean transportation. Tom walks us through Paired Power’s live design and monitoring platform, Periscope, showing how organizations can reduce energy costs by over 80%, overcome grid constraints, and even enable bidirectional charging. From pop-up solar canopies to large-scale fleet solutions, Tom shares how their flexible systems offer resilience, cost savings, and reliability for workplaces, remote sites, and fleet operators alike. Whether you're an EV driver, site host, or clean energy advocate, this conversation is a deep dive into the real-world benefits of solar-powered charging infrastructure.
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Takeaways

1. Three-Year Wait Times Are Real
   In high-demand states like California, utilities are facing years-long delays in expanding grid capacity for EV charging—a bottleneck that Paired Power’s microgrids can bypass entirely by working within existing infrastructure.
2. $283,000 Saved Through Intelligent Load Management
   By staggering EV charging times intelligently rather than charging all vehicles at once, site hosts can reduce demand charges and save hundreds of thousands annually—before even adding solar.
3. Solar + Storage Can Cut Annual Charging Costs by Over 80%
   In a real-world design scenario, combining solar and batteries reduced a workplace charging site’s yearly energy bill from $400,000 to $62,000.
4. AC Charging Won the Practicality Battle (for Now)
   Despite starting with pure solar DC-to-DC charging, Paired Power pivoted to AC solutions due to the lack of universal DC standards—highlighting a major hurdle in charging hardware compatibility.
5. V2G Support for Emergencies and Demand Response
   Paired Power’s systems already support bidirectional charging, allowing EVs to supply power back to buildings or the grid during outages or peak demand periods.
6. Design in Minutes with ‘Periscope’ Simulation Tool
   Their in-house tool, Periscope, allows for rapid modeling of site-specific EV charging deployments—factoring in tariffs, load profiles, solar irradiance, and charger types to instantly visualize ROI and system performance.
7. Off-Grid Charging at Parks and Beaches? Already Possible.
   Paired Power’s PairTree system is a pop-up solar EV charger that can be deployed and operational in just one day—perfect for remote areas without existing grid access.

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NEVI, EV charging, infrastructure, federal policy, rideshare, rural charging, electric vehicles, multifamily, charging deserts, state responses, industry trends, DCFC, DC Fast Charging