Rollo Home, Head of Product at Ordnance Survey, explores how the UK can ensure that its EV infrastructure is built to meet the needs of everyone.
There’s a buzz – or at least a gentle whir – at the moment around electric vehicles. Following commitments on climate change and reducing the nation’s carbon emissions, greener transport options are firmly on the agenda for increased investment and initiatives that will help the UK Government with its Net Zero Strategy. So much so that it has set an ambitious zero emissions target for 2035 to eliminate the sale of internal combustion (ICE) vehicles from the UK’s roads. With 27% of the UK’s total emissions coming from the transport sector, it’s a logical area to focus on.
Of course, a key component in the strategy to reduce the amount of ICE vehicles is encouraging the growth and adoption of more sustainable options. Though not the only piece of the net zero puzzle, EVs will certainly help us transition to a more sustainable transport paradigm. But before we can reach those greener sunlit uplands, there are a number of barriers that must be overcome.
Enabling EV infrastructure
Making the UK truly EV-ready is a massive undertaking. While many of the negative perceptions associated with EVs are addressable, there are many challenges to overcome when it comes to creating the national infrastructure that will enable their mass rollout and adoption. Think of the current refuelling infrastructure that supports ICE vehicles; the development of the fuel station network and infrastructure has taken the best part of 100 years. If we are to meet the 2030 Government targets, that network will need to be overhauled in less than a decade.
To achieve this, we can’t let normal market dynamics work their way through – we need to provide assistive tools that accelerate the arrival of this infrastructure. The Government has committed to raising the number of EV charging stations to 300,000 by 2030, which is more than an 800% increase on current facilities. Today, the majority of charging stations are concentrated in more populated areas, such as London. But if widespread adoption is to occur, an equitable EV infrastructure must be in place nationwide. In short, we have to place EV facilities where they will have the most impact, and thereby accelerate adoption.
A key component of this endeavour will be a reliance on geospatial data to pinpoint optimal charge locations across the country. As with any large infrastructure projects, however, optimal locations will be determined by a number of factors.
Data around accessibility, pavement widths, disruption to road users, and the current and projected distribution of EV owners across the country are factors that must be reconciled to determine optimal locations. However, land is the UK’s most valuable asset – estimated to be worth over £5.4 trillion in 2017 – and practically every Government department has its own stake in securing the land that will help them meet policy commitments, putting land in short supply. Therefore, consideration of wider concerns around town planning, the environment and social welfare, for example, must all be considered when it comes to planning on-street charge points.
Solving the challenges of EV infrastructure will therefore require intelligent data aggregation and integration, with geospatial data being the vital thread that connects places and people, creating the true picture of local, regional, and national demand. This will require organisations across industries, and the public and private sectors, to collaborate and enable innovation. Thankfully, those with the technical skills to work with this data are increasingly interested in sustainability-focused projects – and there are many opportunities in this rapidly growing industry.
Supporting EV infrastructure
Enabling EV infrastructure and ensuring the vehicles and drivers are sufficiently supported will require a significant amount of development and energy. It’s not just about placing charging stations; it’s essential that the energy infrastructure is in place to support increased energy demands. It’s also important to create solutions that improve the experience of EV drivers, such as apps that connect them to EV facilities, services, and appropriate charging locations, taking into account individual preferences around accessibility and safety.
When it comes to the energy infrastructure, geospatial data will again be invaluable, and there should be an increased focus on renewable energy resources to power the growth of EVs. Ultimately, there’s no use in creating infrastructure that supports sustainable transport if it’s entirely powered by fossil fuels.
There are many examples of the ways in which geospatial data can be used to create this infrastructure. In the Netherlands, mapping information and aerial imagery has been combined with artificial intelligence to identify the amount of roof space that can accommodate solar panels. Closer to home, the ParkPower initiative in Scotland has used data on green and blue spaces in urban areas to identify the optimal locations for installing ground source heat pumps which can supply energy to buildings in these areas.
Ordnance Survey has long supported the utility sector with accurate mapping and addressing data. Today, utility companies, including electricity, water, gas and telcos, rely on OS data and data from other providers to support their operations and keep homes and businesses connected.
Across the sector, geospatial data is used by companies to provide detail on road networks, terrain, rivers and every building and address across the country, enabling them to manage their energy networks with more informed asset planning, efficient maintenance operations and improved customer service. With up-to-date and detailed geospatial data, utility providers, and their third-party contractors, can plan and maintain assets and networks more effectively.
In much the same way, geospatial data can be used to accurately plan and position EV infrastructure and more sustainable energy infrastructure across the nation in a way that meets the growing and projected demands of users and encourages motorists to shift into a more environmentally-friendly gear.
