The UK is currently faced with the same chicken or egg scenario as Germany, both have announced a national target of expanding e-mobility, but how is it working out so far? Electric cars will only be purchased if the charging infrastructure is large enough to support them. And yet, the charging infrastructure will not be built if there are no electric cars on the road, which would leave it to deteriorate.

E-mobility in the UK requires storage systems

The limitation to the power output of high-speed charging stations will depend on how stable the grid connection to the nearest substation is.Image: Mennekes, Amtron

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TS HV 70 OutdoorIncl. Janitza power measuring deviceSMA Sunny Tripower Storage 60

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SMA Energy Meter

Janitza power measuring device

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Performance characteristicsBenefi ts of the TESVOLT / SMA LIS Solution

Up to 40% energy cost savings through peak load management

Consumption-dependent control of charging stations and other loads

Optimization of self-consumption

Monitoring of all energy fl ows via the Sunny Portal in combination with SMA Energy Meter

High savings of investment costs as a result of avoided grid extension

Integration of all charging station manufacturers in combination with SMA Energy Meter

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The British automotive industry also recognizes that we’re currently racing to keep up with technological progress. At present, the Chinese manufacturers BYD and BAIC are the world leaders in e-mobility. Against all odds, Tesla is currently in third place in the global ranks, with BMW in fourth place followed by VW.

Researchers are predicting an annual growth rate of 55 percent worldwide, convincing even venerable manufacturers to rethink their designs. Jaguar Land Rover is shaping the future of e-mobility with its new I-Pace,

the group’s first all-electric vehicle, with charging specialist Mennekes as the exclusive supplier of the required wallboxes. Starting in 2020, every new Jaguar Land Rover model series will also include an electric version of the vehicle.

Investments are also being made by the British government, as announced this past February, as it is setting aside over 6 million pounds to fund the installation of around 300 charging stations and 46 high-speed charging stations for taxis — a prestigious move on the government’s part which could

trigger a multiplying effect.

Additionally, British milk delivery service Milk & More recently purchased 200 electric vehicles from StreetScooter — a subsidiary of German post and parcel delivery service Deutsche Post — whose products are on the path to becoming international hot sellers.

The British government expects that by 2040, the majority of new cars and delivery vehicles sold in the UK will be electric. At the same time, some politicians are seriously considering no longer registering new vehicles with combustion engines starting in the same year.

No electric cars without a vast network of charging stations

But this optimism presents a conundrum, as seen in the lacking preconditions: ‘To bring the market forward, we need a functional charging infrastructure. Because no one is going to buy an electric vehicle without the assurance that they can also charge it. That’s why the electric vehicle market is dependent on charging infrastructure and why this infrastructure is such a big deal.

At the moment, there is only a smattering of public charging stations in the UK; the infrastructure is still in its beginning phases. Some companies have announced that they will be installing new charging stations, but that remains to be seen,’ explains Lawrie Wilson, Area Manager UK & Ireland of battery storage system manufacturer Tesvolt.

Power grid problems

Another problem is the grid itself. The connections to houses in the UK are typically single-phase, which limits the opportunities for charging at home. Lawrie Wilson sees a

Energy flows between various system components can be controlled via an intelligent energy management system. The central element is the storage system. Not only does it deliver power to charging stations, it can also shave peak loads. Image: Tesvolt

Fill me up, and fast! A solid charging infrastructure is the key to further developing e-mobility in the UK.Image: Bosch

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future in the UK, where people will only be able to charge their cars slowly at home overnight, thereby becoming highly reliant on the availability of high-speed charging stations at petrol stations, supermarkets, at work etc.

But even there it’s not so easy. ‘The limitation to the power output of high-speed charging stations will depend on how stable the grid connection to the nearest substation is. Perhaps the area Distribution Network operator (DNO) won’t have enough capacity left over to connect another 500 kW charging station without investing a lot of money in upgrading the substation. And whoever wants to install the charging station would have to also bear the costs the upgrade,’ Lawrie says.

Smart solutions

We turn to battery storage systems for the solution. As a type of buffer, they can be charged slowly, avoiding peak loads and yet delivering a high power output when demand is high. Tesvolt had its initial experiences in the UK with its TS HV 70 Outdoor battery storage system. This battery storage system offers the advantage that it can integrate charging stations from any manufacturer into the given design, whereas those from other suppliers often only work with certain types of charging stations.

The capacity and performance of the storage system offer a further advantage, as they can be enhanced separately from one another. This enables charging station operators to expand their stations step by step as they please, adjusting the storage system’s performance data accordingly. In addition, the TS HV 70 Outdoor is a finished, air-conditioned system contained in a

shock-protected cabinet, which is critical if the storage system is installed in a carpark, for instance.

Added value

Tesvolt is working closely with inverter manufacturer SMA, whose Sunny Portal offers an easy solution to monitoring storage systems in combination with the SMA Energy Meter. The storage systems are also multi-use capable, since the energy management system allows for further options: If a company installs a charging station, the storage system can be used, for example, for reactive power compensation

or peak shaving at the company. The storage systems therefore do much more than just support the charging stations.

Storage plus solar energy

Solar energy offers another solution to the grid dilemma. Lawrie comments, ‘there’s great potential in this area because the high-speed charging stations will be located in places that also have buildings with expansive roof surfaces, such as supermarkets and commercial or industrial real estate. Solar carports could possibly be set up there as well.’

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Battery storage systems are the solution. As a type of buffer, they can be charged slowly and deliver a high power output when demand is high. Image: Tesvolt

The TS HV 70 Outdoor is a ready-to-use, air-conditioned system contained in a shock-protected cabinet, which is crucial for carparks. Image: Tesvolt

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