Household Bills
Electric cars: incentives proposed for off-peak charging
Drivers of electric vehicles will be incentivised to charge their cars outside of peak demand times on the grid under Ofgem proposals to support the EV revolution.
The energy regulator said it wants to take forward reforms to support the millions of new EVs forecast on Britain’s roads in the coming decades.
It said flexible use of the energy system – when vehicles are charged when energy prices are cheapest – would reduce the need for expensive new power stations and extra grid capacity to be built.
According to Ofgem analysis, if drivers use ‘flexible’ charging – where they only top-up outside peak demand times on the grid – at least 60% more EVs could be charged up compared with ‘inflexible’ charging where EVs are only charged at peak times.
Ofgem proposes to offer incentives to drivers who charge their EVs at the right time – for example when wind and solar power is generating lots of electricity or when there is less demand across the system.
Flexible use of the grid will also accommodate more renewable generation and other new technologies, the regulator said.
Jonathan Brearley, executive director, systems and networks at Ofgem, said: “Ofgem is working with the government to support the electric vehicle revolution in Britain which can bring big benefits to consumers. Our reforms will help more users charge their electric vehicles and save them money.”
Related: See YourMoney.com’s Three reasons to consider investing in electric cars for more information.
