London-based electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure company, Connected Kerb, has secured funding from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) as part of a consortium for a pioneering EV charging project, Agile Streets.
The project will be delivered in two phases and will see the deployment of over 100 smart charging points in partnership with local authorities.
Led by a multinational telecommunications company, the consortium also includes Octopus Energy, the Energy Saving Trust, Power Networks Distribution Centre and SLS Ltd, and aims to demonstrate smart metering within EV charging in public settings, including on-street residential and shared parking.
Smart charging will improve customer experience, allowing drivers to charge their cars during off-peak hours when prices are lower and with renewable energy. It also balances load across the electricity grid to protect the distribution network.
Richard Turnbull, Head of Wireless Charging & Innovation at Connected Kerb, says: “We are delighted to be part of this strong consortium which aims to deliver an innovative solution, integrating a number of smart technologies through CK’s charging infrastructure and smart cities platform.
“The solution will provide convenient on-street charging to those drivers without driveways, while also offering several consumer benefits that are normally reserved for the home, such as off-peak tariffs. Ultimately, we aim to remove one more barrier and support the UK’s transition to zero emission travel.”
Agile Streets will be one of two programmes funded through BEIS’ Energy Innovation Portfolio that will help to determine long term policy for EV smart charging.
The consortium partners are:
- Octopus Energy for Business, non-domestic electricity supplier – issuing commands via the Data Communications Company (DCC) network and using smart meter data for half-hourly settlements.
- SMETS Design (SLS Ltd), manufacturer of smart metering technology – providing SMETS2 devices and compliance assurance.
- The Energy Saving Trust (EST), an independent social enterprise organisation promoting energy efficiency and clean energy solutions – supporting local authority recruitment for trial locations, coordinating stakeholders, analysis and dissemination.
- Power Networks Demonstration Centre (PNDC), part of the Institute for Energy and Environment at the University of Strathclyde and and specialists in power systems, communications, and energy markets – providing Phase One integration testing and demonstration, in simulated distribution network environments.
- Connected Kerb, a UK market leader in EV charging infrastructure – providing and installing charge points and control cabinets, providing driver support and billing infrastructure.
Samsung Research UK leads consortium
Samsung Research UK (SRUK) will lead the Agile Streets consortium.
The project will develop a purpose-built optimisation platform to generate commands setting a charging schedule based on: EV drivers’ charging preferences, new half-hourly “Agile Business” tariffs, Distribution Network Operator (DNO) constraint data, and other local charge points’ charging schedules.
A new on-street control cabinet housing SMETS2 technology will supply power via underground controllers to up to 12 x 7kW Connected Kerb charge points.
The Agile Streets project will demonstrate the use of the smart metering system and a new business model to manage EV charging, incentivising EV drivers to allow a flexible charging schedule.
