Getting smart with EV charging

Smart charging will play a vital part in the roll-out of electric vehicles (EVs) in the UK, with the government looking to end the sale of diesel and petrol-powered vehicles by 2030 (although hybrids that can drive a significant distance with no carbon coming out of the tailpipe will be allowed until 2035). Smart charging will mean vehicles topping up their batteries automatically at times of lower demand – both reducing the costs for drivers and saving otherwise huge system costs by spreading the overall demand for electricity. A new report published by Energy UK assesses the future options for enabling EV owners to benefit from smart charging.

The report – which is backed by the ADE (Association for Decentralised Energy), BEAMA (the UK trade association for manufacturers and providers of energy infrastructure technologies and systems), the REA (Association for Renewable Energy & Clean Technology) and techUK (the UK’s technology trade association) – assesses a variety of smart charging at home options and the important benefits and protections they will need to provide consumers and the energy system.

While currently smart charging is mostly carried out by charge point operators (CPO), the UK government has indicated its preference for using the smart meter network in the future. However, having researched the views of organisations across the energy, automotive and CPO industries, the report relays a clear opposition to mandating the use of the smart meter network, while recognising that smart metering infrastructure will act as a ‘building block’ for many smart energy offerings. Concerns regarding the existing smart meter system include the lack of any in-market device that allows proportional load control via the data communications company (DCC), industry concerns around speed of response and granularity of data, and the potential for DCC governance arrangements to stifle innovation, notes the report.

The report also provides recommendations to help government speed up progress by developing policy and providing clarity so industry can deliver. One particular area where this is sought is in finding alternatives for using the smart meter network. While the UK government has asked industry to provide credible alternatives, the industry needs to know the requirements in greater detail, especially around cyber security, in order to design innovative new products, says the study. Resolving such complex technical considerations will underpin the shared aim of government and industry of providing a seamless and user-friendly experience for drivers, which will in turn support the nationwide adoption of EVs.