New Monash University analysis highlights how the timing of electric vehicle (EV) charging will play a critical role in shaping Australia’s future electricity demand.
A Monash expert, who contributed to Monash Energy Institute research and a submission to the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into Electricity Supply for Electric Vehicles, is available to comment on how electric vehicle charging behaviour could significantly shape Australia’s future electricity demand, costs and grid reliability as EV uptake accelerates.
Available to comment:
Associate Professor Julie Karel, Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Contact: +61 3 9903 4840 or [email protected]
Comments attributable to Associate Professor Karel:
“The grid can handle EVs – but only if charging is managed to match how the electricity system runs best.
“It’s tempting to think the problem is simply ‘more demand’, but electricity systems don’t usually fail because demand increases gradually. They get stressed when everyone wants power at the same time, in the same few hours.
“The modelling shows that by 2050, peak demand is about 100 gigawatts under unmanaged evening charging, compared with about 50 gigawatts under grid-friendly charging.
“If EV charging simply becomes one more thing that happens every day at 6pm, the system peak grows, and peaks drive costs.
“But if charging is shifted into daytime hours when solar is strong, and into quieter overnight periods, EVs can actually help the system by using clean energy when it’s available and easing pressure later on.”
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