Dani Alexander, an inner west Sydney resident, is excited to have new specialized parking spaces for EV charging come to her suburb. She has invited this exciting advancement to the world just recently! This initiative is part of a broader pilot program developed by Ausgrid, a key player in the energy sector, which aims to install kerbside chargers across metropolitan areas. This initiative supports sustainable transport and addresses the needs of residents who are unable to access off-street parking. It further increases equity and access to EV charging infrastructure.
They are interested in trialling the installation and maintenance of kerbside chargers. So far, the company has fully deployed 200 chargers across metropolitan Sydney and the NSW mid-north coast. As EV adoption continues to rise, this initiative stands to benefit many residents who struggle to find adequate charging options.
Nick Black, Ausgrid’s head of EV charging and infrastructure said the pilot program was crucial to future planning. He calls it a major step towards building out the network of EV chargers in urban spaces. “We really need a step change and the smaller rollouts while we’re testing and learning from this. More needs to be done if we really want to accelerate the uptake of EVs,” he emphasized.
A Community Need Addressed
Dani Alexandra’s story is the typical experience of the urban dweller today. Being a person who lives on a high-traffic street with no access to off-street parking restricts her capacity to add a home charger. She has a 3.8kW solar system on her roof and is wondering why she’s still spending so much to charge her EV. The money she receives for sending her solar power back to the grid barely covers her charging expenses.
We’re really lucky to have rooftop solar, but we don’t have off-street parking. Yet for some this access remains out of reach, depriving them of both community and personal resources. We need to focus on this question deeply as we implement the new infrastructure. Alexander commented. Her worries are emblematic of the larger worry found in every kitchen, living room, and bedroom across her home state.
In Sydney’s Inner West council area, that number jumps to 67% of homes with no off-street parking at all. This buying power stands in sharp contrast to the statewide average of around 30%. This gap between not just visible but overall charging need underscores the critical importance of charging that’s accessible to everyone, like kerbside chargers.
“In addition to addressing individual needs, these chargers can provide more opportunities for residents to charge their vehicles during the day when there is an abundance of solar power being fed into the grid,” Alexander added.
The Role of Government and Industry
The New South Wales government has made its support for this initiative very clear by jointly funding the installation of 500 kerbside chargers with several private providers. By taking this collaborative approach, we can be sure that charging infrastructure will be built quickly and equitably for all Nashville residents.
One of the many players in this movement is EVX, an Australian-based startup that specializes in deploying and using power pole chargers. EVX CEO Andrew Forster said kerbside chargers were the perfect solution for charging up batteries along an inner-city commute. “What we’re seeing is a really stark difference between the levels of utilization in designated spots compared to others,” he explained, emphasizing the importance of strategic placement.
Industry experts have cautioned that the rollout of kerbside chargers heralds a host of exhilarating new possibilities. It requires serious consideration of equity and competition. Dan Cass, co-founder of Rewiring Australia, outlined some possible pitfalls in creating this new market.
“We need to be pretty careful if we’re opening up now another huge market, which is the transport energy market,” Cass remarked. He emphasized that achieving equitable access without sacrificing competition would be key to avoiding making the same mistakes seen in other energy markets.
Building a Sustainable Future
Lastly, Nick Black underscored the need to scale up efforts, particularly in deploying charging infrastructure quickly. “PlusES has been successful in some government funding that’s allowed these chargers to be rolled out, but the scale is not large enough,” he stated. Black’s remarks bring to light a ubiquitous feeling throughout the industry. They call attention to the urgent need for massive, rapid expansion of EV infrastructure to meet growing demand.
As communities like Dani Alexander’s embrace this transition towards electric vehicles, it becomes evident that both government and industry must work collaboratively. While initial pilot programs provide valuable data and insights, they must evolve into larger-scale implementations that consider diverse community needs.
Dani Alexander would like to see continued expansion with more EV charging infrastructure close to home. Further, she believes it can reduce the overall cost of energy for all. “I think there are fantastic opportunities for EVs to be able to particularly soak up surplus solar that we’re not using,” she said.
