By Adam Hall, director of energy services, Drax Energy

Embracing a greener future for the UK’s transport sector demands a huge surge in the adoption of EVs. Yet, an intriguing question looms: can the UK grid adeptly handle the task of charging these EVs en masse?

This is where fleet-operating businesses come into the equation – is there a proactive role they can play in supporting the grid as more and more EVs hit our roads?

Firstly, the grid is designed to cope

The Government, the regulator Ofgem and electricity generators have known for a long time that the need for power would increase enormously as more and more EVs come onto the road. Transport currently accounts for more than a quarter of all the UK’s emissions, so decarbonising it will play a key role in our journey to net zero.

It’s been estimated that each EV will use upwards of 2,000kWh of electricity a year. Even if all the cars in the UK switched to EVs in a single year, that would only require 69.1 TWh – 20.7% of the electricity supplied in the UK in 2021.

But many have been wondering whether the electricity grid can cope with the increased need for power to charge all those new EVs. The Climate Change Committee (CCC) estimates that by 2050 EVs will be responsible for between 15 and 20% of total demand for electricity.

Technically, if all the EVs in Britain were to start charging at exactly the same time, demand might potentially exceed the total amount of electricity the grid could supply. But that’s never going to happen in the real world.

And even if somehow that did happen, then the risk is already mitigated. Smart charging and load management are just two of the ways this takes place:

Smart charging

Smart chargers work via the internet and have a number of features that can help the grid to cope with any extra demand. Typically, these are managed with an app for home users or through an online portal for business users.

One of the benefits of smart charging is that suppliers can use the price of electricity to encourage people to charge at different times of day or night. It’s unlikely that drivers will be charging their EVs at times of peak demand. Instead, they’re much more likely to wait until power is cheaper.

Load management

Load management systems are already in place to make sure that demand for EV charging doesn’t ever exceed the potential supply in practice.

All new EV chargers can be configured and managed remotely to reduce the load on the grid if demand for electricity looks like it could present problems. For example, if a huge number of EVs are set to start charging at the same time – say, when power is cheapest – an automatic limiting process will kick in. This will randomly determine at exactly which moment the charge will be delivered to each vehicle within a 10-miniute timespan.

While this won’t make a huge difference to many individual drivers, it could make a huge impact on the grid’s ability to cope.

Does your business have a comprehensive strategy for EV charging?

One solution for organisations considering how best to mitigate the risk involved in decarbonising their fleet is to draw up a comprehensive strategic programme. This needs to establish how many EVs you need, along with how and where they’ll be charged (at a workplace, at public charging stations or at the drivers’ homes).

A strategic approach can also allow you to make the changes you need to your infrastructure in stages. So, you could start out in a relatively modest way, and then scale up as you go.

Getting permission to build new charging stations can take a long time

A strategic process can help because it also allows you to plan for how long it may take to make the changes you need.

If you’re intending to install a large number of charge points, or if you’re considering installing rapid charging facilities, then the whole process could take longer than you expect.

This doesn’t really have anything to do with how prepared the grid is to cope with an increase in demand, or how long it takes to get connected. It’s simply a reflection of the length of time it can take to get the necessary permissions. These may include:

• Getting permission from your organisation’s landlord if you’re based in a leasehold building.
• Gaining planning consent if it’s needed to get permission to construct the necessary physical infrastructure.
• Arranging with your Distribution Network Operator (DNO) to upgrade your organisation’s connection to the grid to cope with higher loads if required.

If you operate in an urban area, then you should bear in mind that the process could take even longer. This is simply due to the additional difficulty of obtaining permissions.

Ways to mitigate the risk of excess demand

Many organisations that have already switched to EV fleets have also taken steps to mitigate the risk of the grid failing to meet demand. By installing solar panels or wind turbines, and by using batteries to store electricity at their facilities, they can make sure their drivers can always charge their vehicles on-site.

An added advantage of this is that it has the potential to leave you with surplus electricity that you can sell back to the grid, enabling you to generate valuable extra income.

The key to a harmonious transition

Fleet managers hold the key to a harmonious transition as EVs surge onto the scene. By adopting a strategy transition to electric and working closely in consultation with their energy suppliers, they can help ensure a seamless integration of EVs while empowering the grid’s sustainable future.