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Abstract
The recent emergence of Plug in Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) represents a process of historic significance which seems likely, over coming decades, to see electricity replace gasoline for a significant proportion of the private light-duty vehicle fleet. The challenge for the electricity industry will be to implement a set of arrangements that facilitates integration of this new source of demand in a manner which advances the broader objectives of the industry. This thesis makes a contribution towards addressing this challenge.
BEV integration is inherently a multi-industry challenge which will require consideration of transport along with electricity industry objectives. In addition, integration is anticipated over a multi-decade time horizon during which the electricity industry seems likely to transition to far greater renewable energy penetrations. This thesis takes an electricity industry perspective of this multi-industry, multi-decade challenge by considering outcomes across a set institutional, technical, economic, and environmental industry objectives. This is achieved with a focus on the manner in which integration interface arrangements (including available charging infrastructure and coordinated charging management) lead to different outcomes for the industry. The Australian east coast electricity industry (Australian NEM) is used as a case study throughout.
This thesis identifies a set of themes so as to guide policy making and inform future studies in respect of BEV integration. These themes include: That there is both risk and opportunity in BEV integration for the electricity industry; BEV integration cannot be considered by the electricity industry in isolation; Policymakers will need to consider how best facilitate inter-industry transport-electricity decision-making; Appropriate BEV charging coordination is essential in achieving industry benefits; Daytime BEV charging needs to be seriously considered given the potential for high future solar energy penetrations in electricity industries around the world; In the longer term, non-residential charging infrastructure investments will be critical in achieving benefits from utilizing solar generation for transport purposes.