As more Australians make the switch to electric vehicles (EVs) the public EV charging infrastructure needs to expand to keep up. But the interests of EV users should not be subsidised by energy consumers, and it’s important that the expansion of EV charging infrastructure is fair, efficient, and protects the interests of all energy consumers.
That’s why our response to the Australian Energy Regulator’s (AER) Essential Energy (EE) ring-waiver for EV charging infrastructure consultation paper raises some key considerations including:
- Our general, principled issues with DNSP involvement in EV charging infrastructure and the risks it raises for energy consumers;
- how the proposed single charge point operator (CPO) model may limit the benefits of the trial for consumers by reducing interoperability across charging platforms, and;
- if it is appropriate for DNSPs to decide where new EV charging infrastructure should go.
What’s next?
The proposed waiver supports Essential Energy’s ARENA-funded ‘Plug and Play’ trial, for the installation, maintenance and lease of 300 kerbside EV chargers in regional NSW, until June 2033. This is a small project addressing the same larger questions of efficiency and fairness and the appropriate role of DNSPs in new services like EV charging. We will engage in these issues as part of the AER’s review of the ring-fencing guidelines and the AEMC’s review of Electricity Network Regulation Review, Package 1. Our focus is ensuring the deployment of NSW’s EV charging infrastructure doesn’t impose inefficient and unfair costs on NSW energy consumers.
