Empowering the Electrification of Urban Mobility

Context, Novelty & Scope:

This abstract provides an overview of how the transition to Electric Vehicles (EVs) as a core objective of the Irish Government’s Climate Action Plan is key to enabling decarbonisation of the transport sector in Ireland. In line with ESB Networks’ Networks for Net Zero Strategy, we are focused on enabling our customers to electrify and develop new solutions to ensure this is possible. A key enabler to electrification of transport is ensuring public EV charging infrastructure is delivered. In the urban environment Local Authorities (LA) are leading the deployment of charging infrastructure across a range of use cases. A specific example is where LAs are looking to ensure equitable access to EV charging infrastructure, particularly for urban households without private driveways, whilst minimising street furniture.

In Ireland, ESB Networks, as the Irish Distribution System Operator (DSO), owns, operates and maintains the Low Voltage (LV) electricity network infrastructure. Due to the specifics of the Irish regulatory environment and DSO licence requirements, development of a compliant solution that would support LA objectives is necessary.

In this regard, working with a range of stakeholders, including LAs, national government and equipment manufacturers, we have led in and progressed a pilot project that has considered:

The new design of a novel, combined EV charging and public lighting column unit (EV-PLCU)

The manufacture of a prototype EV-PLCU for pilot sites

Pilot site identification working with LAs

The technical requirements for connection to the distribution network for the newly designed EV-PLCU

Implementation, monitoring and EV-PLCU pilot learnings

Methods & Solution Advantages:

Our paper will detail the design, development and implementation of an EV-PLCU solution across a number of pilot sites. The advantage of this solution is the use of ESB Networks’ LV electricity infrastructure, including a DSO smart meter within the new PL-EVCU column, that has been specifically designed for this pilot.

This design has tangible advantages for both LAs and Charge Point Operators (CPO), giving, for example, LAs full flexibility in appointing and managing various CPO contracts, without being limited to proprietary solutions employed by individual CPOs.

For CPOs, the benefit of a modular design provides both clarity and the ability to change or upgrade their hardware in a safe and plug and play approach, without interference to the public lighting circuits or any other electrical infrastructure.

Conclusions:

The full paper will detail the pilot programme and approach, including technical, customer and stakeholder learnings, obtained through our implementation phase. Our approach aligns with the dual objectives of utility infrastructure optimisation and enabling social equity, supporting citizens - regardless of housing type - in their participation and transition to electromobility.