Marshfield faces a number of challenges with the increasing interest in electric cars. We not only have a high proportion of listed buildings in a conservation area, but there is limited off street parking, congestion on the streets, and a consequent difficulty with the general provision of convenient charging points. There is also the issue of overall capacity of electricity supply to the village if the number of electric cars in Marshfield grows quickly.
There is a national policy towards ending the use of internal combustion engines in vehicles in favour of electric or hybrid engines. This will raise a number of questions for our communities and for our electricity system
- Where will people who do not have off street parking charge their vehicles when at home?
- What happens to the grid if everyone comes home from work and plugs in to recharge at 6.00pm? This is already the peak demand hour for the electricity supply system.
- Where will the electricity come from? By some estimates if we all switch to electric cars and travel the same amount as now, the village will consume 40% more electricity each year.
- An overnight charge on a domestic installation draws around 3kW and takes about 8 hours. Rapid chargers draw up to 50kW which would not be possible on a home system.
- Will we need to offer visitors a rapid charge facility in the village?
- What is the potential to use vehicle batteries as an electricity supply into the house at times of high demand on the supply system? What does this mean for the battery?
- One of the objectives of the OpenLV programme is to test the willingness of the community to modify their electricity demand by restricting use of appliances and car charging at peak times. Will such a change have to be encouraged by peak demand tariffs?
- Other questions around the impact and implications of electric vehicles are to be addressed in due course, and could be picked up by anyone interested in exploring these questions.
- Further information can be followed on these links;