Ava SmartHome Charging FAQs

Are there Terms and Conditions for this program?

Yes, by enrolling in this program you are agreeing to these Terms & Conditions.

If I have further questions, who should I contact?

If you have questions about Ava SmartHome Charging, please contact support by emailing [e-mail] or calling our support line at [phone] (phone line support hours are Monday - Friday, 9 am - 5 pm PST).

How is Optiwatt working with Ava?

Optiwatt is Ava’s implementation partner for the SmartHome Charging program. The Optiwatt app provides insights and easy management of your EV and EV charger to save you money and balance the electric grid.

How will this affect my charging schedule?

By participating in the program, you agree to allow Ava and Optiwatt to manage your vehicle's charging to lower your bill, reduce carbon emissions, and contribute to a more resilient grid. By customizing settings in the Optiwatt app, you can conveniently optimize your charging while ensuring your car is charged when you need it.

If I agree to participate in Ava SmartHome Charging, what will I receive?

Each EV or charger you enroll in Ava SmartHome Charging will earn you a $75 reward once 1) you’re verified as an Ava customer, and 2) you complete three home charging sessions. You will also receive $25 annually per EV or charger for as long as you remain enrolled, charge at home at least once a month, over 50% of your home charging takes place during off-peak hours, and the program is active. Additionally, you’ll receive free access to the Optiwatt app, which contains many valuable features for understanding and controlling your EV’s energy consumption.

Rewards are provided in the Rewards tab of the Optiwatt app and can be redeemed through Venmo, PayPal, ACH transactions, gift cards, or a charitable donation.

• If you enroll through your electric meter, you must remain subscribed to program communications to receive rewards.
• If both an EV and a charger are enrolled, only the EV will receive incentives unless the charger also charges a separate EV that meets the reward criteria above.
• If your EV is telematics-enabled and participates in the program in multiple locations, it will still only receive one reward.

What is Ava Community Energy (Ava)?

Ava Community Energy is the default electricity supplier for Alameda County and the cities of Tracy, Stockton, and Lathrop. Ava generates clean electricity at lower rates, and PG&E delivers it. As a not-for-profit public agency, Ava reinvests revenue back into the community through local electrification programs, clean power projects, and community organizations.

What if I want to stop participating in the program?

If you decide to disenroll, you may do so easily in the Ava SmartHome Charging card within the “Devices” tab of the mobile or desktop app. Alternatively, you may email [e-mail] to disenroll at any time. We highly recommend chatting with our support team to resolve any issues before doing so, so that we can help address your concern and keep you eligible for the program’s ongoing rewards, savings on your electricity bill, and reduced charging.

Who is eligible for the program?

To be eligible for the Ava SmartHome Charging program, you must meet the following criteria:

• Be a current Ava Community Energy customer receiving electric service at your address
• Charge your EV or PHEV at the same address that is enrolled in the program at least once a month
  Enroll an eligible electric vehicle (EV), plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV), or smart charger. Click here to view a list of eligible vehicles and EV chargers.
• Maintain off-peak charging habits, especially during overnight hours when electricity is cleanest and cheapest
• Only one Ava service address may be used for enrollment per vehicle or charger, even if you have multiple addresses.

What is Ava SmartHome Charging?

Ava SmartHome Charging is a new EV managed charging program designed to help you maximize savings and increase your use of renewable energy by shifting your charging to off-peak and solar hours. Optiwatt’s intelligent charging algorithm adjusts your charging schedule so your vehicle is ready when you need it while taking advantage of low-cost, clean energy times. Optiwatt is Ava’s implementation partner for the SmartHome Charging program. The Optiwatt app provides insights and easy management of your EV and EV charger to save you money and balance the electric grid.

If I have more than one electric vehicle, am I eligible to participate with additional vehicles?

Yes, you can receive the incentive for each EV in your household that charges at home. To register additional EVs or EV chargers, simply connect the vehicle or charger to the Ava instance of the Optiwatt app in the “Home” tab of the mobile app or desktop site and they will be automatically qualified if you are already enrolled.

If both an EV and a charger are enrolled, only the EV will receive rewards unless the charger also charges an EV that is not enrolled in the program. If your EV is telematics-enabled and participates in the program in multiple locations, it will only receive one reward.

How do I earn rewards if I have multiple EVs, PHEVs, or chargers enrolled?

Rewards are earned for each vehicle that connects and participates, meaning you’ll receive more rewards for each EV or PHEV that you connect, enroll, and charge off-peak with. If you cannot connect and enroll your vehicle, you may earn rewards for each smart charger that participates instead. However, this charger must charge separately from all other vehicles enrolled in order to earn.

Each vehicle or charger may enroll and participate as an active or passive participant, and rewards do not differ across these groups as long as the amount of off-peak charging meets the required amounts. However, if you can participate as an active vehicle it is highly recommended that you allow active control and set a schedule for your vehicle, to ensure you receive all ongoing reward disbursements. You are more likely to miss a disbursement if you are only passively receiving notifications of events.

If you can’t connect a vehicle or charger to the Optiwatt app in a way that sends us data but do charge at your Ava address, you may still enroll and participate! However, you must have at least one EV or PHEV registered to your Ava address with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (CA DMV), and you will only receive rewards for a maximum of one vehicle per profile. Off-peak charging must also be adequately and continually demonstrated on the electric meter at the address after passively receiving notifications of events.

Sign-up rewards are disbursed, at the latest, 2 weeks after enrollment. This waiting period is necessary to ensure you are not enrolled in any conflicting programs with Ava or Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E). Ongoing rewards are disbursed throughout the duration of the program, as long as off-peak charging is adequately and continually demonstrated;

You can view a list of eligible vehicles and devices here. If you have any questions about eligibility, rewards, or redemption, please don’t hesitate to contact Optiwatt support at [e-mail].

How do I participate in the program?

If you have an EV, simply connect your EV and/or EV charger to the Ava instance of the Optiwatt mobile or desktop app by opening the app and completing onboarding instructions. If neither your EV nor your charger are able to connect, you can still join by attesting that you have an EV that you charge at home in the app. If you are already an Optiwatt user and are an eligible Ava customer, simply enable the Ava SmartHome Charging enrollment toggle in the “Devices” tab of the app, and make sure your home address is updated in the “Profile” tab.

Active participation in the program requires that you remain enrolled, charge at home at least once a month, and over 50% of your home charging takes place during off-peak hours.

If your EV requires a paid data subscription to enable data features (e.g. OnStar), and you do not have an EV charger that Optiwatt supports (as of March 2025, that means a ChargePoint charger), you will need an active subscription to use the automatic controls for this program. If you do not have this active paid subscription, you may participate in the program by setting your charging schedule in your current EV charging app or manually controlling your charging. To do this, you will need to connect your electric meter to the Optiwatt app.

Does Ava SmartHome Charging provide benefits beyond incentive payments?

Yes. In addition to incentive payments, Ava SmartHome Charging helps lower your energy costs and emissions by shifting EV charging away from high-cost, high-carbon hours. Enrolled EVs and chargers are optimized to charge during the lowest-cost periods, reducing both individual and system-wide costs for all Ava customers. After prioritizing user preferences, such as Ready By times, the program will also optimize charging times based on CAISO pricing signals for PG&E DLAP posted here, which directly impact Ava’s cost to serve load.

Will this program prevent me from charging my EV?

No. You will always have the option to override and charge immediately in the Optiwatt app. If you use Optiwatt's optional charging features, Optiwatt will prioritize your departure time and charge limit preference to ensure you always have the charge you need. You will also have the ability to “Charge Now” in the Optiwatt app, which replaces this function in your previous charging app.