Thorough planning of EV charging station locations, with a particular emphasis on charging at work, can cut the need for more power plants, according to a new MIT study.
Published in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science, study uses data from New York City and Dallas to counter the narrative that large numbers of electric cars will create massively higher electricity demand and require more power plants. The researchers argue that smarter planning will cut the need for additional power plants and take advantage of excess solar capacity.
Instead of assuming that most electric vehicle drivers will charge their cars at home in the early evening, after returning home from work, the researchers call for extra charging at work. This will take advantage of the abundant solar generation capacity in the middle of the day rather than trying to get into the grid in the early evening, when peak demand and loads tend to be higher.
Atom Power Purl EV . Charging Station
Home charging still has a place in this strategy, as long as the driver delays charging until late at night. As utility companies and previous studies have highlighted, this pushes electric vehicle charging into periods of lower demand, taking advantage of excess grid capacity and potentially rewarding drivers. with lower electricity rates.
“Combining home charging and workplace charging could be a particularly successful strategy,” the researchers said in a statement, adding that charging location decisions should be emphasized. strength in these two situations.
Chevrolet Bolt EUV 2022 at EVgo . fast charging station
That conclusion is in close agreement with what a Department of Energy study showed years ago: that Concentrate charging around home and work may be more important than just putting chargers everywhere. And California heat wave in 2021 and 2022 helped highlight what’s best for avoiding “peak” sources—and preventing blackouts.
Part of implementing such a strategy, however, will be changing employers’ attitudes toward on-site charging. General Motors has committed to making a large number of EV charger for its employeesbut other companies need to see how to charge electric vehicles at work more than one privilege for its workers, a 2019 report found.
