15th September, 2022 | Australia, Electric Vehicles, Projects, Renewables |
An upcoming Australian-first trial will turn city and suburban power poles into electric vehicle chargers under the EV Streetside Charging Project, writes Greg King-Evans.
Fifty streetside locations in the Sydney and NSW Hunter regions will be selected for the trial – which will run during the next 12 to 18 months – with each EV charging station to be connected directly to the overhead electricity supply.
Origin Energy is providing 100 per cent GreenPower, which means all the energy used by the EV chargers will be matched with the equivalent amount of certified renewable energy added to the grid.
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has delivered a $871,000 grant for the project, and Schneider Electric is providing the EV chargers.
The project is led by smart metering and data intelligence provider Intellihub, and is being rolled out by numerous energy and EV businesses in partnership with nine NSW local councils.
“It is expected that as many as 10 per cent of new car sales in Australia will be electric vehicles by 2025,” says Intellihub CEO Wes Ballantine.
“That equates to an extra 120,000 new EVs on our local streets each year, however it is likely that many of these car owners may be unable to charge their EVs from home.
“Power poles line most of our public streets and that presents an opportunity for the EV charging market – they’re an accessible, safe and practical option for EV charging.
“They’ll be installed in front of the meter, making them a controllable resource for grid operators looking to better manage the increasing penetration of renewables connected to the electricity network.”
Charging station sites will be nominated by the nine NSW local councils taking part in the project: Inner West Council, Waverley Council, Woollahra Council, City of Ryde, Randwick City Council, Northern Beaches Council, Parramatta City Council, Singleton Shire Council and Lake Macquarie City Council.
Nominations for sites will be based on feedback from residents, anticipated demand, traffic access, and parking availability, with locations to include areas near apartment buildings and high-density single-dwelling suburban streets, shopping strips, bus and train stations, sporting facilities and hospitals.
“Thousands of power or light pole-based EV chargers have already been successfully deployed across London, Germany, Canada and the US,” says David Anstee, EV charging specialist at Australian consultancy firm Withywindle.
“This trial will help us understand and overcome any regulatory barriers and build a commercial model that is fit-for-purpose for Australian conditions.
“It will uncover the charging habits of Australian EV owners across different locations and give energy suppliers insight into how to use electric vehicles to soak up excess rooftop solar power during high-generation periods.”
With some local councils receiving reports of residents charging EVs via extension cords due to confined suburban streets, this trial is expected to provide safer ways for owners who don’t have off-street parking to charge their vehicles.
“Schneider Electric’s EV charging units provide greater control of energy distribution through AutoGrid Flex, a leading virtual power plant system,” says Farokh Ghadially, Schneider Electric vice-president, power products and digital power.
“This technology combines a number of independent power sources – such as local solar power and the grid – to provide a reliable supply of electricity.
“This helps meet additional EV power needs without compromising the local grid, all while reducing charging costs.”
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