myenergi, pioneer of the world’s first eco-smart EV charger, has thrown its full support behind the UK’s impending Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021. Set to come into force from 30 June, the new rules will play a pivotal role in future-proofing our national energy system.
Introduced in-line with the rapid uptake of alternatively-fuelled vehicles, the new regulations aim to establish standardisation. Alongside protecting the grid by reducing the impact of simultaneous EV charging, the regulations aim to ensure that EV chargers are interoperable, that customers don’t get locked into services from energy suppliers, that new standards of cybersecurity are adopted and that off-peak charging is delivered as standard to reduce ‘rush hour’ periods on the grid.
As a global leader in EV charging technology, myenergi believes that these changes are not only essential, but will work as a steppingstone to help create the energy system of tomorrow.
Dr Chris Horne, Chief Technical Officer (CTO) at myenergi, explains: “With motorists quickly switching from fossil fuels to electric, there is obviously a number of knock-on implications that need to be considered. Overall demand on the National Grid has been in decline since 2002 and, even if all internal combustion engine-powered vehicles switched to electric powertrains overnight, we’d only experience an increase in national energy demand of around 10%. Having said this, the transition to electrification has impacts for network inertia and balancing.
“The problem we could face in the future is that, if everyone decided to charge their EVs at the same time, the increase in demand would be too quick for the grid to handle. In result, the unnecessary pressure could result in power cuts.
“Fortunately, the transition to electrification hasn’t come out of the blue and this situation is no shock to the system. However, to protect energy supply for the future, we need to adopt new regulations to protect our national energy systems – it’s an essential step towards the smart energy grid of the future.”
Alongside provisions around cyber security of and management of customer data, the regulations introduce three new requirements:
- Default off-peak charging
- A random delay at the start of the charge
- Steps to promote customers to sign up to Demand Response Services
Dr Horne adds: “From July, all new charging points will be automatically set up to charge EVs at the best time for the electricity network. The peak demand happens in the mornings and afternoons so, by default, your EV will only charge overnight or during the middle of the day.
“What’s more, every new EV charger sold will be programmed to calculate a random delay of up to 10 minutes every time a charge starts. This might be unnerving the first few times it happens, but it will prevent EV chargers all over the UK from immediately turning on when the low price tariffs kick-in.
“Finally, provisions have been included to better enable access to Demand Side Response services; a complex system of variable procurements that operate as a stable, competitive marketplace. This will enable aggregators to dial up and down your charge to manage and maintain grid frequency. It won’t happen continuously – it’ll just kick in when the grid is under strain, much like ramping up a generator or connecting a battery during periods of high demand.”
As a pioneer of next-generation energy solutions, myenergi believes that the regulatory changes are essential to balancing the grid. Dr Horne concludes: “At myenergi, we’re committed to leading the charge when it comes to the future of energy. Our state-of-the-art range of eco-smart technologies have been designed to ensure that customers always receive the best possible experience when it comes to powering their homes and vehicles. Embracing new regulation is essential for the health of the national energy system and our products are future-proofed to make it easy for users to adapt.
“Change is important. While it may result in disruptions in the short-term, the long-term benefits are countless. Indeed, these new regulations will allow the UK to transition away from fossil fuels and move towards a cleaner, greener transport network of the future. We should seize this opportunity with both hands, not shy away from progress.”
For more information about myenergi, or the UK’s Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021, visit https://myenergi.com/guides/smart-charge-point-regulations/.
