Northern Powergrid, the company responsible for the electricity distribution network that powers the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, predicts there could be five million EVs on the region’s roads by 2050.
As part of its annual Distribution Future Energy Scenarios (DFES) report, the company maps local and regional pathways to net zero, as well as forecasting the number of EVs on the roads.
It said in releasing the data it aims to raise awareness about the latest forecasts for low carbon technology uptake.
Jim Cardwell, Northern Powergrid’s head of policy development, said: “The value of this data cannot be underestimated. As a regional enabler of decarbonisation we need to know when and where to expect rapid uptake of low carbon technology and renewable energy to plan our network accordingly.
“Millions of homes and businesses over the next decade will be decarbonising and green policies like the petrol and diesel vehicle ban and heat pump rollout will accelerate this process.
“We need to make sure that the network is ready to facilitate a smooth transition to net zero for the people we serve and accurate DFES data will be a key planning tool. This is why we are asking anyone with low carbon plans to come forward and share this information. By ensuring our data and forecasts are informed by our stakeholders, we can help better plan your pathway to net zero.”
The company used Leeds as an example, its data indicates that there could be 520,000 EVs on the cities roads by 2050. It added this growth of low carbon technology will require new and different amounts of power to keep vehicles charged. The DFES data can support Northern Powergrid to plan a system with the capacity to enable this future.
The data also highlights how emerging technologies like energy storage in the form of batteries, hydrogen production as well as carbon capture and storage are expected to evolve and mature. Northern Powergrid said it will use this data, as the operator of the electricity network, to invest appropriately in infrastructure that will help accelerate decarbonisation.
