EV chargepoint mapping tool launched in North West

SP Networks has launched a unique transport model to drive local investment in EV chargepoints as part of the North West’s ‘green recovery’.

The tool seeks to anticipate and map electric vehicle uptake across Cheshire, Merseyside, North Shropshire, and North and Mid-Wales. The Charge Project’s transport model - a first-of-its-kind – can predict where and when EV charging demand will occur in the region, helping investors to identify the best locations to install chargepoints as demand for EVs grows. It can also identify where that demand needs to be accommodated on the electricity network.

Working alongside partners EA Technology, Smarter Grid Solutions and PTV Group, the four-year Ofgem-funded Charge Project will merge transport and electricity-network planning for the first time to create an overarching map of locations where EV chargepoints will be required and where the electricity grid can best accommodate them.

The next stage of the Charge Project will be a major trial in the project area of ‘smart charging connections’ -  pioneering technology that can intelligently and automatically control the power consumption of EV chargepoints. This will be followed by the rollout of the ConnectMore tool, a public-facing web application that will help businesses and local authorities identify suitable sites for new chargepoints and estimate the cost of connecting them to the network.

Scott Mathieson, Network Planning and Regulation Director at SP Energy Networks, said: “The Charge Project transport model is a never-before-available online platform capable of generating detailed scenarios for EV uptake as far into the future as 2050. By predicting where charging demand is likely to be high, the model can help drive infrastructure investment and development in a way that will make the transition to electric vehicles a much more viable option for many. It has the potential to really transform how EV infrastructure is embedded into our towns and cities and I look forward to seeing how the project takes shape in the coming weeks and months.”