Invitation to Electric Vehicle Owners

Invitation to electric vehicle owners

London's electric vehicle community is being invited to join the Low Carbon London trials.

Owners of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles across London are being encouraged to sign up for the trials which will determine the impact a large-scale adoption of electric vehicles would have on UK Power Networks' London electricity network - and also across Great Britain.

Christina Ting, from Hampstead Garden Suburb, is the first customer to join the trials. Low Carbon London will monitor when her Nissan Leaf is being charged to understand what would happen to the electricity network if the whole neighbourhood charged their vehicles in a similar pattern.

Ms Ting said: "Before joining the trial it hadn't crossed my mind what impact the widespread use of electric vehicles might have on the electricity network. I thought it wasn't an issue, as electricity is used for so many other things. However electric vehicles are the future and the more we can plan for them the better. There will come a time when people will look at electric vehicles as normal."

UK Power Networks is preparing for a future where electric vehicles are the norm. Under the Government's Carbon Plan, there is a commitment to source 10 per cent of UK transport energy from sustainable renewable sources by 2020, potentially driving growth in the use of electricity far in excess of natural growth in demand as electric vehicles are adopted.

If electricity networks do not adapt to the electrification of transport, industry estimates suggest a take-up of 25 per cent of electric vehicles by 2030 could lead to half of the electricity transformers closest to the customer's home or business needing to be upgraded. However, through 'smart' controls of electric vehicle charging points, Low Carbon London will be exploring how to make best use of existing local network capacity, reducing the need for network reinforcement and making electric car charging infrastructure cheaper to install. Led by UK Power Networks, Low Carbon London is a project which was awarded funding from energy regulator Ofgem's Low Carbon Networks Fund.

Liam O'Sullivan, programme director of Low Carbon London at UK Power Networks, said: "We support the electrification of transport to improve air quality, reduce carbon emissions and noise. We also recognise that electric vehicle charging could significantly increase demand on the electricity network and Low Carbon London will help us to identify the best ways to manage this.

"Most electric vehicles are stationary for the majority of the time, which means drivers can be flexible about when they charge their vehicles so there is scope for people to charge vehicles during 'off peak' periods, minimising impact on the network. This flexibility also offers an opportunity to better match increasing demand with variable low carbon generation.

"Electric vehicle owners have already taken a big step in supporting a low carbon transport future. Now, we ask them to build upon that commitment by helping us develop an electricity network that can support London's electric vehicle and carbon reduction targets in the future."

At no cost to the participants, volunteers joining the trial will have a simple energy monitor attached to the charge point or power outlet they use to charge their vehicle. The monitor will automatically send readings to the Low Carbon London team. Experts at Imperial College London will help analyse the data collected, to help the partners to understand how and when people use electricity to charge their vehicles.

The trials also plan to test tariffs which will help to avoid excessive 'peak demands' on the electricity network. The aim is to help build a reliable, sustainable, low carbon electricity network that plans for and supports the growing number of electric vehicles in London. Through smart controls of electric vehicle charging points Low Carbon London will seek to minimise the impact of everyone recharging their vehicles at the same time, such as on arrival at work, avoiding large increases in demand on the network and the whole electricity supply chain.

As the local distribution network operator, UK Power Networks is working on the electric vehicle trials with a range of private and commercial electric vehicle owners.

Approximately 100 participants are needed for the trials. For more information, or to take part in the trial, ring 0800 859 5378, write to the team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the website www.lowcarbonlondon.info.