From an environmental point of view electric vehicles (EV) are not 100% clean but at the end of their useful life, they have saved a lot of toxic emissions from the atmosphere as compared to gasoline or diesel vehicles. Although electric vehicles generate greater on the use of materials and their manufacturing process, they offer important opportunities to reduce the emissions that cause global warming and air pollution in cities.
ELECTRIC VEHICLES OFFER IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE THE EMISSIONS THAT CAUSE GLOBAL WARMING
A new report from IRENA, Innovation Outlook: smart charging for electric vehicles , guides countries on how to exploit the complimentary potential between renewable electricity and electric vehicles. It provides a guideline for policymakers on implementing an energy transition strategy that makes the most out of electric vehicles.
As with gasoline vehicles, EVs need to recharge their energy . As a result, charging systems are indispensable , which are becoming more popular in cities.
IRENA’s analysis indicates that if most of the passenger vehicles sold from 2040 onwards were electric, more than 1 billion EVS could be on the road by 2050 – up from around 6 million today -dwarfing stationary battery capacity. Projections suggest that in 2050, around 14 terra-watt hours (TWh) of batteries could be available to provide grid services, compared to just 9 TWh of stationary batteries.
Smart charging means adapting the charging cycle of EVs to both the conditions of the power system and the needs of vehicle users . “Smart charging is one of the innovations IRENA is closely following that presents multiple benefits. By decreasing EV-charging-stress on the grid, smart charging can make electricity systems more flexible for renewable energy integration, and provides a low-carbon electricity option to address the transport sector, all while meeting mobility needs, “says Dolf Gielen , Director of IRENA’s Innovation and Technology Center.
The implementation of smart charging systems from basic to advanced, says Francisco Boshell, an IRENA analyst monitoring the development and implementation of EV strategies around the world. “The simplest approaches encourage consumers to defer their charging from peak to off-peak periods. More advanced approaches using digital technology, such as ‘direct control mechanisms’ may in the near future serve the electricity system by delivering close-to real-time energy balancing and ancillary services, “explains Boshell.
SMART CHARGING MEANS ADAPTING THE CHARGING CYCLE OF EVS TO BOTH THE CONDITIONS OF THE POWER SYSTEM AND THE NEEDS OF VEHICLE USERS
Electric vehicles , apart from producing less pollution, have fewer breakdowns. By having an average of 1,000 pieces less than the average vehicle, visits to the mechanic are less frequent. In the same way, the maintenance is lower : there is no need for annual check-ups of filters and oils. Addtionally, they are more silent than an average car and you can also park for free in a designated blue zone to recharge. Many municipalities also exempt them from paying the circulation tax. On the negative side, they are still more expensive than the conventional ones, there are only few specialized autoshops and the recharging points are not as abundant as they should be. However, experts point out that these drawbacks are being corrected.
IRENA’s analysis suggests uncontrolled and simultaneous charging of EVs could significantly increase congestion in power systems and peak load resulting in limitations to increase the share of solar PV and wind in power systems as well as the need for additional investment costs in electrical infrastructure in the form of replacing additional cables, transformers, switchgear, etc., respectively.
To learn more about smart charging, read IRENA’s Innovation Outlook: smart charging for electric vehicles . The report explores the degree of complementarity between renewable energy sources and EVs and indicates how this potential could be tapped through smart charging between now and mid-century. The possible impact of the expected mobility disruptions is coming in two to three decades.