NHP Technical News
INTRODUCTION
Load balancing, billing, and data reporting are common
challenges that are raised when Electric Vehicle (EV) charging is
proposed for installation.
With the recent update to the wiring rules (AS/NZS 3000:2018
Appendix P), it is suggested that a maximum demand calculation
should assume that all EV chargers are operating simultaneously
at full load. This is readily achievable for a small number of
chargers at large sites, but for a large number of chargers, this
assumption will imply costly upgrades to site capacity.
A smart load management solution for apartment complexes
and commercial buildings, designed to ensure that the EV
charging load does not ‘stack’ with existing peak building load,
is necessary if we are to avoid significantly increasing the size of
site connections, transformers, and switchboards.
Billing for electricity supplied is also a consideration for EV
charging installations, but one with many solutions. In some
cases, billing will not be required, as the value of the energy
being delivered is trivial in the context of the location. For cases
where billing is necessary, there are many options.
Data reporting can also be done in many ways. Data reporting
will allow for facility managers and other interested and
authorised parties to see usage behaviour, which can help with
forward planning, and maintenance.
In this Technical News, we will examine several options around
load balancing, billing and data reporting specifically in the
context of Electric Vehicle charging infrastructure.
Figure 1: Delta AC Mini Plus
*This document is written in accordance to Australian regulations,
New Zealand and other jurisdictions may vary in standards and
will require differing methods.
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