A network assessment tool will be developed that will allow

(i) license-wide assessment of PIV penetration susceptibility of (non-meshed) LV networks and

(ii) more detailed assessment of LV networks susceptible to PIV penetration to determine the level of PIV penetration that would trigger reinforcement action and the smart solutions to avoid or defer reinforcement developed in this project.

EV Monitoring

A monitoring algorithm will be developed that will detect PIV charging by directly monitoring the LV substation such that the number and potentially type/category of vehicles can be identified, the impact on the feeder cables and transformers understood and to produce guidelines for managing EV charging. The collected data from pre-established PIV clusters on the WPD network will be fed back to refine the Network Assessment Tool.

The Trial Programme

A smart charger test system will be established to

(i) enable selection of suitable smart chargers for the customer trial and

(ii) develop and test the PIV/V2G demand control services before and during the customer trial.

Up to 700 new PIV drivers will be recruited, in order to provide the project with statistically significant data ensuring diversity in driver behavior and PIVs (battery size and nominal charger rate). Trial participants (customers) will be sought from a wide area across WPD’s licence areas, concentrating, but not exclusively, on larger conurbations and in particular the recently announced winners of OLEV’s Go Ultra Low City Scheme in WPD’s licence areas, namely Milton Keynes, Bristol and Nottingham & Derby. Trial participants will provide their own car for use in the trials. The project will provide trial participants with “smart” chargers for their home on their agreement to participate in the trial, to be subjected to PIV demand control and to have data collected regarding their PIV usage and charging. This data will be used to inform development of the PIV/V2G demand control services and research into customer behaviours relating to their journey planning and charging behaviours. The customer trials will apply PV/V2G demand control on simulated PIV induced network stress scenarios. Customer acceptance of PIV/V2G demand control will be assessed by a contracted market research company.

Benefits

1. An LV Network Assessment Tool for DNOs (an add-on to the widely used WinDEBUT LV design tool) that: a. Analyses and quantifies PIV related stress issues on LV networks (to LV area scale), including:

i. Heuristics enabling rapid assessment of PIVs on LV networks through “topological” modelling of LV networks

ii. Ability to include known PIV charger installations

iii. Ability to forecast future PIV charger installations based on PIV market growth and forecasts

iv. Flexibility allowing for future charger rating and PIV battery size developments b. Identifies best economic PIV solution: Demand Control/V2G/Reinforcement.

2. A functional specification for a technique to monitor and understand the effects of electric vehicle charging on LV networks across different levels of penetration

3. A functional specification and commercial framework for future procurement and deployment of PIV/V2G Demand/Export Control Services by DNOs to delay or avoid network reinforcement in cases where PIV installation numbers create network stress.

These will be available on the market for other DNOs to use and to adopt into business as usual.