3.3 Grid development and resilience for delivery of higher-speed

3.3 Grid development and resilience for delivery of higher-speed charging infrastructure

Destination, en-route, and other fast-charging infrastructure is important for the continued uptake of electric vehicles. Therefore, it is essential for the electricity grid to have the capacity and resilience to support such demand. The grid must be supported by a smart and equally-resilient charging network. Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland will intensively engage with ESBN, EirGrid, CRU, and energy suppliers, as well as charge point and forecourt operators, to ensure a timely and coordinated approach to energy provision and grid management.

Even with off-peak overnight charging (AC 7 kW) as the baseline default charging option for most EV users, there remains a need for provision of higher-speed top-up charging at trip destinations or en route. In practice, this would involve higherspeed DC charging at power levels ranging from 50 kW up to 350 kW.

on AFIR requirements, this number will need to increase to between 780-1,320 rapid-charging points.

Delivering this ultra-rapid charging network will require a high level of planning as well as engagement with energy providers and electricity network operators. The energy demand for this will be significant, with power demands of above 2 MW required in some cases. This is equivalent to a connection for a large factory or 800-home housing estate. This will necessitate much planning, as well as deep reinforcement of the electricity network in some instances. It can take 90 working days to complete planning studies and develop a quotation for such a large installation. It is critical that ESB Networks are informed at the earliest stage of planning and that every EV charger is installed in compliance with all regulated connection policies and contractual agreements.

Destination Charging

Destination charging will provide charging solutions (typically 7 kW-100 kW) at tourism and leisure locations such as leisure centres, parks, hotels, and visitor attractions. These would allow EV drivers to charge their vehicles for 1-10 hours before returning home, depending on the nature of their visit and duration of stay.

The private sector has already shown interest in this area of the market. In Ireland, we have seen the provision of top-up charging infrastructure in locations such as car parks, supermarkets, and hotels.

In Ireland to date, Government, European, and ESB funding have supported private investment to deliver the initial phase of infrastructure that is in place today. In other EU states, there is widespread private-sector investment in motorway charging facilities. Stakeholder engagement shows that Ireland’s private sector seems to have a similar desire to invest more widely in this infrastructure.

This strategy envisages a supporting role for Government in providing initial seed funding to stimulate and encourage more widespread rollout of this kind of charging infrastructure. Government will also have a key role in coordinating the various stakeholders involved in delivering this infrastructure.

En-Route Charging

Ultra-rapid, high-speed, on-the-go charging will encourage the transition to electric vehicles. Such charging infrastructure must be fast and highpowered (100 kW or more) to make the charging experience as similar as possible to taking a quick comfort break while driving an ICE vehicle.

Government’s role is to work as a facilitator, supporting and enabling investment in the ultra-rapid, en-route charging infrastructure. An example of this will be the development of a National EV Charging Network plan. The plan will define the EV charger rollout requirements and consider these in the context of the electricity grid’s readiness to meet the projected EV public charge-point demand between 2023 and 2025.

Currently, in Ireland, there are approximately 375 publicly-accessible charge points at power levels in the range of 50 kW-350 kW capacity. To deliver

CHAPTER

4

Existing & Future

Technologies

Mass-market adoption of electric vehicles is still at an early stage. The sector is constantly seeking new innovations to improve the experience of EV owners and to enable the transition from ICEs to EVs. In this chapter, we look at innovative initiatives and pilot schemes that are taking place in Ireland and across Europe. By learning from these, diverse user needs can be accommodated. In addition, every user’s experience of EVs and charging infrastructure will be on a continuous path to improvement.

for heavy-duty buses, as well as pilot electric road system (ERS)48.