FEVER to relieve EV charging demands on grid

The oncoming rise in EV usage has prompted FEVER, a project aimed at alleviating demands on the electricity grid with fully grid-independent, renewably powered charging hubs.

FEVER (Future Electric Vehicle Energy Networks supporting Renewables) is a five year, EPSRC-funded project led by Andrew Cruden, a Professor of Energy Technology at Southampton University.

Ofgem estimates that electric cars and vans will need between 65-100TWh of electricity annually by 2050, an increase of 20-30 per cent compared to 2021.

Cruden explained that in a post-2030, ‘business-as-usual’ scenario it may be possible to get between 40-50 per cent EV penetration using, for example, supervisory control to alternate charging between EVs plugged-in simultaneously on the same street.

“After that you really do need to reinforce the network,” he said. “We’re looking at a scenario where all the EV charging energy would come from renewable sources.”