To print this article, all you need to do is register or log in to Mondaq.com.
The government’s Net Zero Strategy (published October 19, 2021) highlights the challenges of decarbonising transport. Inland transport is the largest contributor to the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions in all sectors (23% in 2019), with the bulk of these emissions coming from passenger cars. Supporting the transition to zero-emission vehicles is therefore a government priority and key to fulfilling its commitment to end sales of new diesel cars and vans by 2030.
We are already approaching the tipping point of the mass adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). According to BEIS figures, every fifth car sold in September 2021 was a plug-in vehicle.
To facilitate the transition, it is important that the expansion of the charging infrastructure keeps pace with demand. In the government’s transport decarbonization plan (published July 2021), the government committed to ensuring that the UK’s EV charging infrastructure would meet the demands of its users. The Net Zero Strategy has allocated an additional £ 620 million to target vehicle grants and EV charging infrastructure, particularly residential charging infrastructure on the street. This is on top of the £ 1.3 billion already pledged to accelerate the expansion of the charging infrastructure.
But will that be enough? The UK must install, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders
700 EV charging points per day to meet the required electric vehicle demand by 2030. In addition to the grants and funding, the government wants to introduce several important laws to create the necessary infrastructure.
Building regulations
Following a consultation in 2019 that highlighted proposed changes to the Building Regulations that require the installation of charging stations for electric vehicles, a new approved document is expected shortly.
It is likely that once the Approved Document is finalized, it will contain requirements for the installation of charging stations in new homes with parking spaces, in buildings that are undergoing a significant change of use to homes, and in existing residential buildings that are undergoing major renovations. We expect similar requirements for commercial buildings. If the advice is followed, we can assume that any new or existing building with more than 10 parking spaces that is subject to major renovation will have a charging station and cabling for at least 20% of the available parking spaces.
We are waiting to see how the changes to the building regulations deal with installation costs and, in particular, how concerns about high grid connection costs are addressed. The proposed upper cost limit for retrofitting and the general exemptions for listed buildings and buildings in nature reserves will also be of interest.
Smart Charging Legislation
In response to the consultation on Smart Charging for Electric Vehicles, the Government confirmed that the Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018 will introduce legislation to ensure that all private EV charging points sold and installed in the UK have “smart” features . In this way, charging stations can optimize charging speed and time in order to relieve the power grid in times of peak demand.
The proposed regulations apply to all private charging points both in the home and at work, with the exception of fast charging points (50 kW or more) due to short-term use.
Smart charging stations must be able to send, receive and react to information in order to change the power consumption or the charging time. Charge points must also have a random delay feature that can be changed remotely to delay charging by up to 30 minutes. These features will help meet the additional demands on the electricity grid as the use of electric vehicles becomes more widespread. Charging points are also expected to monitor and measure data on energy consumption and provide the end user with information about their charging behavior. This should give customers a better overview of their energy consumption.
Direction of travel
In addition to the above legislation, the government will publish an EV infrastructure strategy later this year. It sets out a roadmap for the wider rollout of charging infrastructure in the UK, with a focus on the role of the public and private sectors. Although details are awaited, the direction of travel is clear – the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles will be an integral part of our future built environment.
The content of this article is intended to provide general guidance on the subject. Expert advice should be sought regarding your specific circumstances.
POPULAR ARTICLES ON: Energy and Natural Resources from the UK
Private money leads to net zero
Brands & writers
One of my favorite quotes from the critically acclaimed The Wire series is, “You start following money and you don’t know where the hell it is going to take you”.
Energy crisis in the UK – an update
Mayer Braun
The rapid re-consolidation of the energy supply market was predictable and possibly structurally inevitable, but we are only at the end of the beginning.
