The UK government’s sudden interest in battery technology became a little clearer last week. If the country meets its commitment to phase out all petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040, it could need the equivalent of six nuclear power plants to charge all the electric vehicles.
The UK National Grid’s solution, outlined in its ‘Future Energy Scenarios’ report (published last month), is smart charging which, it says, could substantially decrease the pressure on the system at peak times, reducing additional demand from electric vehicles to 3.5GW by 2030 from a potential scenario of 8GW of extra demand.
But the extra peak-time demand from electric vehicles by 2050 is predicted to be a whopping 18GW — the equivalent of nearly six Hinkley Point nuclear power stations would be needed to charge millions of electric vehicles as their owners return home from work.
Another solution being touted is ‘energy independent vehicles’.
Dr Peter Harrop, lead author of the IDTechEx Research report ‘Energy Independent Electric Vehicles Land, Water, Air 2017-2037’, says: “Well before 2050, energy independent vehicles being developed by Toyota, Tesla and others will bypass national grids altogether and sell in large numbers. Hanergy and Sono Motors even promise mainstream solar-only cars by 2020 and even if they fail, others are on the job, some with particularly power rich designs employing wind energy as well when the vehicle is parked.
“Earlier than that, roadside solar charging stations are catching on as they improve efficiency, modularity, affordability and ability to incorporate wind power. That means entirely or mainly off-grid supply: you can even see them in Malta.”
Dr Harrop concludes: “Six nuclear plants? It is just not going to happen. It is even arguable that no extra grid supply will be required.”
• IDTechEx is staging the world’s first conference and exhibition on Energy Independent Electric Vehicles, 27-28 September at the Technical University of Delft, Netherlands.