An Australian university is considering offering free or nominal electric vehicle (EV) charging to staff and students by optimising its solar PV system, responding to the global surge in EV sales.
Researchers at the University of South Australia’s Mawson Lakes campus emphasise the use of renewable energy for EV day charging, aiming to lower electricity grid demand in the evening and contribute to Australia’s net zero emission targets by 2050.
The campus currently has rooftop and ground-mounted solar panels installed in 2019, but the system predates the rapid uptake of electric vehicles.
The UniSA research team proposes nearly doubling the existing PV system on campus, potentially providing free charging for over 200 electric vehicles or 25 per cent of available parking spots.
By introducing a nominal charging fee, the campus could support 100 per cent EV penetration in the future, resulting in more than 20 per cent energy cost savings.
UniSA Professor Mahfuz Aziz, Dr Mohammed Haque, and UniSA PhD researcher Yan Wu published their findings in the journal Renewable Energy.
“At 25 per cent EV penetration, the UniSA Mawson Lakes campus could reduce its annual electricity costs by more than 9 per cent by upgrading its existing solar PV system to optimum capacity, supporting free EV charging during the day,” Yan Wu said.
He said that optimising the PV system and providing EV charging services at a nominal fee using excess PV generation is a sensible solution, potentially supporting 800 EV cars with almost the same annual energy costs as 25 per cent penetration with free charging.
The researchers used data from the Victorian Integrated Survey of Travel and Activity (VISTA) and validated their modelling with actual parking data from Monash University’s Clayton campus.
South Australia’s high rate of solar PV penetration causes operational challenges, with a substantial decrease in grid power demand around midday and a subsequent increase in the evening.
Professor Aziz highlighted the significant operational challenges, including the “duck curve” caused by excess power generated during the day and the need to ramp up dispatchable power in the evening.
Dr Haque suggested that establishing comparable EV charging infrastructure in private and public facilities would enable Australia to use solar more efficiently, achieving a more balanced grid demand profile and promoting a greener environment.
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