RENEWABLES ELECTRIC VEHICLES
COPING WITH THE EV SURGE
New charging technologies are becoming necessary as
the electric vehicle market grows. Could ultra-thin solar
cells be the answer to supporting the electricity grid?
125 years after the first
practical electric
car was developed,
the electric vehicle (EV) market
is booming. January 2019 saw
the number of EVs sold in the UK
increase 110% from the previous
year, and Ireland saw a 500% growth.
UK-based Nextgen Nano says its
nanotechnology could facilitate the
surging demand for power for EVs.
In 1884, inventor Thomas
Parker had already overseen
the electrification of the London
underground and tramways in other
areas of Britain to combat pollution
from coal-powered machinery and
transportation.
Drawing from this knowledge
and interest in fuel efficiency, as well
as his concerns about London’s air
pollution, Parker set about inventing
and developing the first practical
electric car.
It was effectively a horseless
carriage, but it was the important first
step on the journey of EVs. 125 years
on, the technology has developed but
the story remains almost unchanged.
We may not be sitting in clouds of
smoke in London, but pollution is still
one of the most pressing problems of
modern times. However, the adoption
of EV technology has surged in
recent years.
THE SURGE
In January 2019, the Society of Motor
Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT)
revealed that 1,334 electric cars were
sold in the UK, a significant increase
from 635 in January 2018. Alongside
this, registrations of traditional diesel
and petrol cars have started to
decrease year on year.
There is a caveat to this, however.
One of the concerns around the
growth in the EV market has been the
pressure these new vehicles will add
to existing electrical infrastructure.
More cars necessitate more charging
points, which requires more power
from the national electrical grid.
“By nature, many drivers will
choose to recharge their EVs during
or following the early evening
drivetime period which is expected
to cause problems,” says Franky So,
chief technology officer at Nextgen
Nano. “The electrical infrastructure is
not robust enough to handle a sudden
spike in demand, which would lead to
power outages and electrical issues
like harmonic currents that damage
electrical and electronic components.
This would have the most significant
impact on local infrastructure in
areas with a high concentration of
EVs.”
To mitigate this risk, the UK’s
energy regulation body, Ofgem, has
called for incentives to encourage
drivers to charge EVs outside of
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