Provide a summary of your project and describe:
- how your project meets the aim of the specific SIF Innovation Challenge
- the energy network innovation involved
- an overview of the experience and capability to deliver their part of the project for each Project Partners or subcontractor
- the potential users of your innovation and how your project addresses their needs
You must download the Project Management Template and complete the Skills and Expertise tab. The Project Management Template must be uploaded in response to question 12.
This question covers Eligibility Criterion 1: Projects must address the Innovation Challenge set by Ofgem and Eligibility Criterion 6: Projects must include participation from a range of stakeholders as outlined in chapter 2 of the SIF Governance Document.
Problem Bring Solved
The supply of electricity is critically linked to health and wellbeing of energy consumers, with loss of supply having a severe impact on people’s lives, particularly those living in vulnerable circumstances and with certain health conditions. Current measures involve deployment of diesel generators which are costly to deploy, carbon-emitting and take up time of DNO resources; preventing them from fixing the underlying course.
Impacts and benefits
The Discovery phase focused on three main temporary re-supply options using EVs:
- V2L;
- V2H facilitated by DNO making the connection; and,
- V2H without DNO involvement.
In summary, the V2H option without DNO presence would have been the most financially viable solution, however it is not currently permissible due to non-compliance with existing engineering recommendations and lack of standardisation for Electrical Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE). V2H with DNO presence and technical assistance is too costly compared to standard temporary re-supply solutions and would not provide the same reliability level. It will also divert the DNO operational personnel from addressing the root cause of a power outage whilst the automation of re-supply by EV-Respond was one of the key components of the proposed solution, which was proven to be not viable.
Whilst the two V2H options were ruled out, the V2L solution was closely considered. It was established that the V2L option would not provide substantial financial saving as it isn’t classed as full restoration, and therefore would not save Customer Minutes Lost (CML) which DNOs are financially incentivised to minimise, however, it was taken forward as a promising solution associated with DNOs social obligation commitments and a suitable partial re-supply option during a large scale disruption (e.g. storm scenario) aimed to support customers with medical dependency. Further stakeholder engagement however revealed serious safeguarding concerns associated with potential V2L trials and roll-out due to necessity to enter customers’ houses which was not a consideration of the original discovery project scope.
There were also questions that were raised as to how far an EV battery should be allowed to discharge and whether there would be sufficient availability of volunteers to relieve the first responders. Further research would be helpful to determine if the likely length of EV Respond service duration was similar to the typical duration off supply for customers.
Despite of all the identified challenges, EV Respond has demonstrated wider benefits which can be summarised in three parts:
The consumer research raises awareness about CIVS who are particularly vulnerable in power outages, especially those who rely on medical equipment but do not have suitable back up power. It also highlights the potential of this risk to grow as the UK population ages
The technology development reporting improves the understanding of what is currently possible with EVs to provide temporary power in outages. It theorises of multiple methods that bidirectional charging technologies can or will be applicable in, and identifies key technical, and market barriers for these methods.
Solutions recommended for further development could reduce the medical vulnerability of CIVS in the near future with technology available on the market today.
