New video explains how the Electric Nation smart charging system works

If you want to know more detail about how the Electric Nation smart charging system works then you can now watch a video, with Mark Dale, Innovation and Low Carbon Networks Engineer, Western Power Distribution, talking through the Electric Nation model.

The model represents a street with a number of homes. Electric cars are charging at properties during off-peak times. In a scenario where there are greater numbers of electric vehicles, when drivers of more EVs return home from work during the evening peak and plug in to charge, there’s more demand on the local electricity network. If a large number of EVs charge at the same time, then there may be occasional instances when a third party needs to manage the demand on the network by pausing the charging of some cars for short periods. The charging would take place in a cycle, with the aim of all cars gaining a similar level of charge over this peak period.

This managed charging would avoid the cost of upgrading the network with new cables and transformers just to cover short periods of high demand.

Mark also discusses vehicle to grid (V2G), due to be trialled as part of Electric Nation, which would allow EVs to put electricity back into the grid at times of peak demand. It’s expected that EV owners who put electricity back in to the grid will benefit from a financial incentive to do so.

Watch the video in our Resources section