As the demand for electric vehicles soars, so too does the requirement for charging equipment. By 2030, 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans sold in Great Britain are set to be zero-emission vehicles – an estimated two million electric vehicles on UK roads, possibly more. The installation of Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) is still establishing itself in the UK market, particularly within the commercial sector. We know with any innovative product or service, specific regulatory guidelines tend to follow at a later date.
It is the responsibility of the duty holder, rather than the installer, to undertake a mains power analysis before changes are made to an existing electrical system. But what exactly is mains power analysis?
Mains power analysis is a method of monitoring the power consumed by companies’ electrical system, and includes inspecting the balancing of phases, measuring harmonic distortion and power factor. These tests are vital when designing or adding to an existing electrical installation. Recently, PTSG (via constituent company Guardian Electrical Compliance) has undertaken mains power analysis for various blue-chip clients. The current trend across businesses is to install EVSE and in consequence, there is the need to understand the impact on electrical systems given EV charging equipment consumes vast amounts of power – hence the uptick in mains power analysis.
About EVSE installation
Typically, engineers use the same phase when installing EVSE, usually the most convenient option which, in time, will lead to a range of issues, the most noticeable being an imbalance in phases. If this is the case, phase one could be drawing more power than the other two phases resulting in an unbalanced supply. An imbalance will create extensive energy losses, costs for which the client would be liable. Additionally, without mains power analysis testing, companies will have similar issues with harmonic distortion and power factor.
An electrical system that isn’t running or performing efficiently will not only result in more power being consumed than necessary, but with less output. It’s worth noting that depending on the contract a company has in place, exceeding the maximum supply may result in high out-of-contract prices from their energy supplier and steep penalty notices.
EVSE and the route to net zero
Since the launch of the Electrical Vehicle (EV) and its now mainstream availability, the end of 2022 saw EV sales had taken up 10% of the global vehicle market, and as time passes the market is set for more major growth. In tandem, with the increased demand for EVs, there is an equal need for EVSE in the public, private and commercial sectors.
COP26 saw the introduction of “A2Z – Accelerating to Zero”, the commitment to a zero-emission vehicles transition aligned with the Paris Agreement. This declaration assists in the acceleration towards net zero, a strategy for decarbonising all sectors within the UK economy by 2050. Businesses now benefit from financial incentives to make the switch to electric vehicles, such as government-funded grants and large discounts when purchasing electric vehicles.
Compliance Benefits
- Knowledge of your spare capacity – A feasibility study will show the spare capacity, so any future installations can be designed correctly, as per BS7671 regulations.
- Accurate measurement of power consumption – A feasibility study measures thr actual maximum demand and shows an accurate value. Installations may have a calculated value from the original installation design but as installations change and additional loads are added; this can become an inaccurate figure.
- Cost Saving Recommendations – A feasibility study can identify issues leading to excess power consumption to help reduce energy demand and save money over time.
- Troubleshooting – Studies can identify problems in a system, such as abnormal power consumption or harmonic distortion which can be used to diagnose and correct issues.
- Easy Access to measurement data – PTSG reports will include all measured parameters in an easy-to-use Excel spread sheet, so filters and search functions can be utilised.
- Visual representation of results – PTSG reports will include graphs to show any project requirement parameters. This could include total active power consumed against total apparent power for example. The graph shows times and dates so a detailed analysis can take place regarding peak times of consumption.
- Executive summary – The report will include a summary that highlights all project parameters in a single location for quick reference and enable discussions with non-technical stakeholders.
What can Guardian offer?
- Through TraQit, PTSG can deliver a managed, seamless approach to the installation and design process for a company’s electric vehicle supply equipment.
- PTSG can help establish a company’s on-going inspection and testing requirements for your electric vehicle supply equipment, with bespoke industry-leading testing certificates for each charge point.
- All records of a company’s analysis and testing will be available on PTSG’s industry-leading portal, TraQ-It. This will ensure records remain current, accurate and consolidated, with a version history of change.
