Energy technology company Off Grid Energy CEO Danny Jones is urging for a smart charging system to be deployed to avoid “a total collapse of consumer confidence in EVs”.
He stresses the importance of battery storage and smart charging systems as the take up in EVs increases exponentially.“Rapidly deployable smart-charging and storage systems are an absolute necessity for cities to reap the benefits of EVs,” said Jones.
Together with UK Power Networks Services UPS Off Grid’s UBESS system earlier this year at its Camden depot. The system to installed to reinforce the local grid using battery storage to allow the powering up of UPS’s fleet of EV delivery vehicles from the current limit of 65 to all 170 vehicles.
“The primary issue with the Camden installation was that the incoming grid supply was insufficient to support the additional power demands of the new fleet of EVs,” said Jones. “The cost of re-enforcing the grid at the substation jeopardised the business case for full electrification of the fleet.”
EV applications are demanding more power as their popularity grows, and they need it now and various logistics operations and bus companies look electrify their fleets to help in the fight against air pollution and climate. However, a lack of grid capacity is a major obstacle.
“The benefits of deploying these systems are manifold and are absolutely necessary to prevent a delay in EV deployment because of the cost and lead-in times to reinforce the electricity network at substations,” said Jones.
