The purpose of these Regulations is to introduce regulations which require domestic and workplace electric vehicle (EV) charge points to include smart functionality, and will also mandate that these charge points must meet specified cybersecurity requirements and operate in certain ways to protect the stability of the electricity grid and to protect consumers. The uptake of EVs is central to Government’s net zero commitment which requires the UK to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. But to enable this transition, the electricity system will need to meet the increased demand. Without intervention, significant and costly additional generation and network reinforcement will be required.
The time of day at which EV charging occurs could have significant implications for the electricity system. The Department expects that many consumers will charge their EVs at home in the future. Smart charging is when EV charging is optimised to occur at times of day when there is lower demand on the electricity system, or at times of high renewable electricity generation, which can help mitigate the impacts of this increased demand on the electricity system. This response from consumers to assist with managing the grid is called Demand Side Response (DSR).
This in turn will enable consumers to save money on their energy bills as they take part in a flexible energy system. Without smart charging, EV charging is likely to happen during existing electricity system peak times (such as between 5pm and 7pm) when many people arrive home from work. This would require significant levels of additional investment both in the networks that transport the electricity, with the costs borne ultimately by consumers, and in electricity generation capacity to meet increased demand.
