Energy Networks Australia has called for a rethink to kerbside electric vehicle (EV) charging with the release of a new report that outlines a straightforward and scalable solution: using existing power poles to deploy kerbside charging at pace.
ENA’s The Street Smart: Scaling Up Kerbside EV Charging in Australia report says allowing distribution networks to install, own and maintain EV chargers on their existing poles would overcome key barriers to EV ownership caused by inadequate charging infrastructure.
The report has been backed by Ausgrid, the largest electricity distributor on Australia’s east coast.
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Ausgrid CEO Marc England said attaching EV kerbside chargers to its network power poles would not only facilitate access but significantly reduce the cost of EV charging and increase competition amongst retailers.
“Ausgrid could leverage existing infrastructure to make EV charging more accessible, affordable and maintained for people across the state,” England said.
“The NSW Government’s ambition is for more than half of all new car sales to be EVs by 2030, and at Ausgrid, we believe there needs to be more than 11,000 public kerbside EV chargers installed across our network by then to meet the increasing demand.
“By taking a proactive approach to EV charging infrastructure, we can accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles, helping people who have or want to own EVs but do not have access to off street parking, such as renters and those in apartments.”
As part of the proposal, electricity distributors would own and maintain chargers on the power poles, while retailers would operate them and sell the charge to the end consumer.
Ausgrid head of EV Charging & Infrastructure Development Nick Black said the proposition would increase competition between retailers, with customers set to benefit.
“Our kerbside chargers would be neutral hosts, allowing any EV charging service provider to use them at no cost, fostering competition and driving down costs,” he said.
“Using our existing infrastructure would also avoid the need to dig up footpaths, and Ausgrid workforce can ensure chargers are maintained over their life, providing reliability for drivers, similar to the way we maintain streetlights.”
Black said an increase in kerbside charging infrastructure, through distribution network involvement, would help relieve one of the key barriers preventing many from purchasing EVs and complement the broader public EV charging models, such as fast chargers, without competing with them.
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“At the moment, we are faced with a dilemma, where the lack of chargers prevents EV purchases,” he said.
“We want to ensure there is reliable, easily accessible, low-cost kerbside public charging, so more people can feel comfortable and empowered to use, buy and own an EV if they want to.
“Everyone should be able to enjoy the savings and for that to happen chargers need to go to locations that aren’t just economically viable. They need to be accessible to everyone.”
