Engage Consulting was delighted to have our Senior Consultant, Grace Carroll, moderate a panel at the EV Infrastructure and Energy Summit on the 2nd October 2024. This summit brought together innovators across the EV charging and energy sectors, participating in a variety of insightful sessions emphasising the need for partnership to achieve the ambitious goal of decarbonising road transport and a flexible energy system by 2050.
Key Takeaways from the Summit
The Benefits of Integrating EV and Energy Industries
The transition to electric vehicles (EVs) and the decarbonisation of road transport are fundamental to achieving Net Zero, given that the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) calculated that it accounts for 24% of the UK’s total emissions in 2022. However, EVs are also crucial in delivering another key part of Net Zero by 2050, decarbonising our energy markets. They achieve this by acting as distributed energy devices that can balance a flexible grid. The spread of speakers and panellists highlighted the benefit of having speakers from both industries in the room together to capitalise on how innovative activities in both industries can enhance the other. This was highlighted in a fascinating panel moderated by Andrine Mendez of GoPluggable, where representatives from Community Energy Scotland, Charge My Street and Net Zero Asset Finance discussed how community energy initiatives can complement EV charging infrastructure.
Progress on Grid Connections
Grid connections were a consistent theme throughout the summit, with charge point and fleet operators citing it as a key time and cost constraint. Despite recent progress, such as Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) cutting 10GW worth of “zombie projects” from the queue, challenges remain. Ofgem predicts the connection queue could rise to 800GW by the end of 2024. Austen Toone, Lead Relationship Manager at SSEN, presented SSEN’s desire to work with the charge point industry rather than be seen as a ‘blocker,’ and changes from the current ‘first-come, first-served’ system to a ‘first-ready, first-needed, first connect’ approach.
In Grace’s panel, “The Role of Destination Charging in Achieving 2.3 million Charge Points by 2030,” panellists highlighted how remote sites can struggle with a lack of capacity and delays in grid connections. They emphasised that focusing on electrifying a site as a ‘virtual power plant’ could accelerate and enhance charge point offerings if landowners invest in generation or storage assets.
Vehicle-to-Grid Integration and Cooperation
Claire Miller from Tellegen oversaw a panel on vehicle-to-grid (V2G) integration, highlighting the benefits V2G could offer consumers, not just in cost savings but in enhanced battery health if done correctly. One key point was the risk of planning installations without considering the future offering of V2G as more car manufacturers perfect and offer the technology. The panel highlighted the coordinated efforts required between charge point and vehicle providers for the integration of new standards ISO 15118-20, which focus on communication between EVs and charge points, V2G, wireless charging, and security protocols.
Engage Consulting are subject matter experts in the energy sector, equipped to offer expertise in navigating the complexities of the energy industry, including how EV charging can integrate and adapt to a shifting sector landscape. We provide advisory and project management consultancy services to clients, enabling positive change with our deep knowledge of the regulatory, commercial, and technological aspects of this evolving industry.
