Utility Week

Special report: EVs ELECTRIC VEHICLES SPECIAL REPORT 12 | 25TH -31ST MAY 2018 | UTILITY WEEK Conclusion The EV revolution brings with it a multi- tude of challenges and opportunities for utility companies. For network companies, the chal- lenges posed by EVs to the stability of security of the national power grid are becoming increasingly urgent as uptake swells. For energy suppliers, the opportuni- ties come in the form of offering special tariffs for EV owners, and in the surging market for associated hardware, such as home batteries and (smart) charging points, which they could start to offer. One thing is certain – EVs are coming, and utilities must make sure they are pre- pared to embrace the revolution. B attery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) can break our dependence on fossil fuels. Charging a BEV is comparable to connecting a whole new house to the electricity network. This could become prob- lematic, particularly for electricity distribution networks, if charging of these cars coincide with each other or coincide with the existing peak electricity demand. There is an inherent flexibility in the charging demand requirements of BEVs which could facilitate demand management strategies for optimal grid integration. Typically, cars are parked most of the time and the majority of daily driving would not exceed half of the vehi- cle's battery capacity (advertised at 200km for typical BEV models circa 2017). The long parking time of the car, and the surplus battery capac- ity would allow flexibility in the time, duration and rate of charging and discharging of the car while still respecting the transportation needs of drivers. A preliminary demand man- agement strategy is to spatially spread the BEV charging demand. Consequently, this will also spread the demand in time. A study carried out by Newcastle University based on actual BEV charging profiles, smart meter and network data, demonstrated the benefits of such a strategy to mitigate the impacts on distribution networks and increase their hosting capacity to accommo- date more BEVs. Spreading demand in space and time becomes possible by rolling out charging infrastruc- ture to places where cars are routinely parked for a long period of time such as residential (off and on-street) and work locations. Workplace charging becomes more than just a top-up location but a key location to enable BEV charging demand management strategies. It would also open up oppor- tunities for new demand response schemes to accommodate what could be the new biggest source of electricity demand. Has the race to own and operate this type of infra- structure started already? Furthermore, charging infra- structure at residential and work locations needs to allow charging and discharging control to fully tap into the flexibility potential of BEVs. This becomes possible using vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technol- ogy that can shi the demand to avoid congestion of the electric- ity network, match demand with supply from renewable energy, and discharge the batteries to provide grid services such as frequency regulation or voltage support. The UK government is investing £30 million in 21 projects to support and overcome some of the chal- lenges facing V2G technology. The National Centre for Energy Systems Integration is participating in two of these projects. As an example, the Nissan-led e4Future will examine technical and economic feasibility of V2G and will test consumers' acceptance and willingness to offer their EVs to support the power sys- tem in exchange for lower bills. V2G is the missing link that can facilitate the transition to low carbon and efficient transport and power systems. With proper grid integration strategies and co-ordination of efforts between transport and energy stakeholders, BEVs could become a network asset rather than a network problem. EXPERT VIEW MYRIAM NEAIMEH, VEHICLE-TO-GRID PROJECT LEAD, NATIONAL CENTRE FOR ENERGY SYSTEMS INTEGRATION (CESI) Battery Electric Vehicles: a network problem or a network asset? FAST CHARGING IN NORWAY In 2017, Pöyry's Oslo office analysed charg- ing patterns for the two major commercial operators of fast-charging stations in Norway, Fortum and Grønn Kontakt. While the capacity of charging stations is 50kW, the average charging power per charge is significantly less – approximately 30kWh/h. Utilisation of the fast-charging stations was very low. Fast charging is used mostly in the afternoon, and more during weekends than weekdays. The average, daily pattern for the year shows a distinct peak between noon and 7pm. There is a big difference between weekdays: the weekend peak is almost 40 per cent higher than on other days. We can also conclude that most charg- ing is not done via fast charging in Norway. We know that range anxiety needs to be overcome, but it seems unlikely that fast- charging stations will pay their way unless, despite low utilisation, the captive retail opportunities are significant. Should it be utilities keen to sell electric- ity or car companies keen to sell their EVs that are investing? Or perhaps it is better treated as a regulated asset to ensure the long-term viability of fast charging. Matt Brown, vice president, energy – West- ern Europe, Middle-East and Americas, Pöyry Real world fast-charging patterns by day of the week 4.0% 3.5% 3.0% 2.5% 2.0% 1.5% 1.0% 0.5% 0.0% Utilisation of total capacity Hour 0 23 Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Source: Pöyry

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