Smarter solutions can cut the time and cost of urban rapid chargers

By Carlos Neves, CEO of Turbo Power Systems

Delays in upgrades to power networks and the problems with last-mile connectivity will cause years of disruption to the ultra-rapid charge point roll-out. So it’s time to look for smarter solutions than just digging everything up at huge cost and hassle.

The problem is that, as transport minister Jesse Norman said recently, distribution network operators (DNOs) have a huge job to put in place network infrastructure that can provide rapid and ultra-rapid charging. And it is taking time, and a lot of money.

This April, a new scheme launched whereby ‘demand connection customers’, such as EV chargepoint operators or fleets applying for a connection, will no longer be charged for any distribution network upgrades. Or will they?

Ofgem has baseline funding of more than £22 billion, including more than £3bn for network upgrades, but as Jesse Norman stated in Parliament: “We need to ensure that that money is put in place and that any blockages are addressed by the distribution network operators. We are also working closely with fleets and industry bodies to ensure that we can anticipate problems before they arise.”

Due to the pressure of upgrades for ultra-rapid roll-out and solar farms, Ofgem said recently that customers ‘seeking to connect to the network are experiencing significant delays, across all voltage levels, with some customers being offered connection dates in the late 2030s’.

It’s something we see too with companies wanting EV charging connections.

Firms we speak to say there are delays of potentially years, in some cases, getting work done because the capacity to plan complex projects involving DNOs, councils, public agencies, private businesses and end users just isn’t there.

You will have seen high profile charging hubs launched, lined with rapid chargers, and they are a good thing. But look at where they are nearly all built: brownfield sites on the edges of towns, or the major road network.

For drivers on the motorway and A road network, they are useful. They are, however, low hanging fruit. They aren’t suitable for all users.

We’re going to need rapid charging in cities and towns, on industrial estates and in compounds. And this is where the problem gets more complex.

Say you are a city-based fleet and you have commercial vehicles on a site that needs to be rapid charged, or an urban rental site which needs to replenish EV batteries quickly to get them hired out again.

Often, to get the necessary power, the DNO is going to have to upgrade the local substation and cabling. Which also means digging up roads, obtaining planning permissions and causing disruption for nearby businesses, roads and homes.

The delivery of this ‘last mile’ of cabling and network support is fantastically complex, and the cost and time for these projects are already ballooning.

Will Government funding cover this? It’s unlikely and so, as Ofgem views it, these changes in infrastructure and new connections will mean costs need to be shared in a fair and proportionate way among all network users.

At the end, it only means one thing: the end users will pay the bill, probably through higher energy prices or other charges.

This is where DC microgrids come in. By creating lighter touch solutions and installations, and using smart energy management they can take, in the most efficient manner possible, power from the existing grid or via onsite generation (such as solar), hold it, store it and move it so vehicles can be charged at high speed whenever they need.

Often these installation projects can be completed in months, rather than years, too.

For a typical installation the operator can expect an average improvement in terms of return on investment of 20%, relative to a ‘direct to grid’ conventional charging solution.

If operating in large cities, then it could be 55% due to the associated high land and installation costs of conventional chargers – not accounting for the usual additional time demanded on those locations.

Ultimately, to avoid the exorbitant costs and trouble of digging up our towns and cities we need smarter solutions that have a lighter footprint, faster implementation and less invasive infrastructure needs.

If we don’t, then for many businesses, authorities and organisations requiring ultra-fast charging the move to electric will become unfeasible, development will stall and those Government targets for stopping the sale of petrol and diesel commercial vehicles cannot possibly be met.