Safe and Efficient Charging Is Needed to Support the EV and Carbon Transition

Welcome back Jane Marsh who regularly contributes postings to this blog site. In this contribution, she looks at the current state and future trends of the growing charging infrastructure which is essential to support a low-carbon energy transition and the mitigation of climate change. Some background on Jane. She is an environmental journalist and the Editor-in-Chief of Environment.co. Her interests focus on environmental issues, sustainability and renewable energy.

Safe and efficient charging is vital for the energy industry to ensure reliable power delivery and the prevention of accidents. The rise of electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy and energy storage options has made effective charging safety and optimization crucial to this industry sector.

The State of Today’s EV Charging Infrastructure

A high public and home charger density level is essential for the transition from fossil-fuel-powered vehicles to EVs. Both public and private charger availability varies from nation to nation. The chargers themselves come in several formats. Not all are equal in performance or provide the same expedience, safety and security.

The numbers per country vary widely. In 2021 there were 1.8 million public chargers globally, a doubling of the number from just two years before. The data from 2021 indicates an average of 10 EVs per public charger globally.

The following chart shows public charger distribution by country. The highest numbers indicate one of two things:

1. A low uptake in the building of EV public charging infrastructure, or
2. Countries where EV unit sales have outpaced the country’s ability to build and support a public charging network.

The latter is certainly the case for countries like Denmark and Norway where EV sales have been at record highs. 

Variability in the development of public charging infrastructure is caused by any one of the following:

1. National governments usually are responsible for funding and rolling out infrastructure of this type. In some cases, political support is weak. In others, a lack of policy and legislation is holding back development.
2. Governments can legislate for charging infrastructure to be built, but it is the business sector that has to deliver. The process can become quite involved beginning with planning and approval, then procurement, by installation, testing and commissioning. Timing ranges from several months to well over a year.  
3. Oversight of charging infrastructure projects varies from country to country as do regulatory standards as well as ongoing guidance to ensure completed projects are safe and well-maintained.

The Benefits of Safe and Efficient Charging 

So far we have only looked at charging infrastructure to support EVs. Increasingly, however, industries are opting into going 100% electric and adopting tools and technologies that require battery-supported charging infrastructure. This means demands on the electrical grid are only going to increase. It also means governments and businesses need to get up to speed on using safe and efficient charging practices. What needs to be put in place?

Reduced Risk of Accidents and Damage

Protective measures like circuit breakers are needed to minimize the risk of accidents like fires and shocks and to keep equipment and users safe. A charging network whether to support EVs, other battery-powered technology, or battery storage systems, needs to be designed to prevent overheating, preserve battery health, make them last longer and produce optimal performance.

Enhanced Grid Stability and Reliability

About 70% of the U.S. electrical grid is 25 years old or longer. Is it ready for the energy transition? Can it handle the explosive growth in battery demand? Can it handle charging loads, and prevent power fluctuations and voltage drops? 

Electrical grids today are in serious need of improvements to meet demand through supply and be robust enough to deal with extreme weather events and climate change.

The general reliability of the U.S. electrical grid may soon be long gone. New capacity is needed. Renewable energy sources need to be integrated. New best practices must enable the low-carbon transition including improved load management and distribution, especially during peak demand periods.

Cost Savings and Energy Efficiency

Many industries are going 100% electric, seeking sustainable practices, reducing expenses and improving operational energy efficiency. The construction sector is embracing this trend by adopting electric equipment relying on rechargeable batteries. This choice is eliminating the use of diesel fuel, saving costs and enhancing energy efficiency by automatically shutting down when not in use. 

Challenges and Risks for the EV Transition 

What else holds back EV adoption other than sticker shock? Fast, dependable public charging networks are essential for the EV transition to succeed. An extensive charging network can mitigate the issue of range anxiety in the public mind. Availability, connectivity failures, poor grid interoperability and lacklustre cybersecurity are inhibitors that are all surmountable issues.

Outstanding issues still to be addressed include:

The Limited Number of Public Charging Stations – In 2022, there were 50,000 charging stations with 130,000 ports for EVs. However, this is far below the estimated 2.4 million charging stations needed by 2030 to support a fleet of 26 million EVs.

Compatibility and Standardization – There is no single standard for public charging stations. EVs from different manufacturers require different charging connectors. A universal charging standard that makes it possible for any make of car to plug in and power up is needed. The Combined Charging System (CCS) is an attempt to create that standard by combining AC and DC charging. Major manufacturers of EVs in North America, Europe, China, Japan and South Korea have been working to ensure that the public charging network can support their vehicles and deliver up to 350 KiloWatts of power to an EV with up to 80% capacity in as little as 30 minutes.

Overloading and Overheating – Overloading the charging infrastructure poses serious risks including fires and damage to electrical systems. Prevention requires proper load management and electrical planning to maintain a safe and efficient charging environment.

Cybersecurity and Data Privacy – Unauthorized access and data breaches of public charging networks threaten user privacy during public charging transactions. Robust encryption protocols including secure communication channels and encrypted data storage are needed to keep information exchanges within the public charging network confidential.

What’s On The Horizon for EV Public Charging

New technologies and solutions for EV charging are on the way to make the charging network more efficient and accessible. These include:

• Smart charging – which lets users schedule vehicle charging during periods of low energy demand to promote efficiency.
• Vehicle-to-grid integration – which allows electric cars to return excess energy to the grid if not being driven during peak demand periods. The EVs become a distributed energy source to help balance energy supply and demand through the grid.
• Wireless charging – which eliminates plugging in by using inductive power transfer, offering increased convenience, reducing wear on charging components and enhancing safety; a hassle-free and user-friendly way to charge EVs.
• Advanced monitoring and control systems – which utilize real-time data and predictive maintenance to proactively identify and address issues, minimizing downtime and improving overall reliability.